


the universe is shaped exactly like the earth

by MovePastTheFeeling



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Crossover, F/F, Getting Together
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-03-21 14:43:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 76,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13743141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MovePastTheFeeling/pseuds/MovePastTheFeeling
Summary: (if you go straight long enough you'll end up where you were)Daisy and Jemma get transported to a whole new Earth - the Earth that contains Supergirl and co. Together, they explore friendship, romance, and science as they work on a way to get the displaced Agents of SHIELD back home.(You really don't need to know much about Agents of SHIELD or Supergirl to read this fic)





	1. the event

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I know I should be working on the sequel to my big Life is Strange fic, but I've been toying around with the idea for this fic in my head forever and I figured I should just get it all out. This one is pretty indulgent, so be warned!

“What’re you working on?” Daisy asks, sauntering into the SHIELD science labs and peering at what Jemma is working on.

“Oh!” Jemma says, so focused on her work that she couldn’t hear Daisy enter. “Believe it or not, we have a new 0-8-4 in.”

“Wow, that’s a throwback,” Daisy says dryly.

Daisy leans in a bit closer, though taking care not to get too close – she doesn’t know how dangerous this thing can be, though Jemma doesn’t seem to be too concerned. Whatever this new 0-8-4 is, it at least looks harmless, though they both know by now that appearances can be deceiving. The 0-8-4 is a small, black cube, so dark in color it seems to be sucking in all of the light around it.

“I know, I can hardly remember the time when these were our biggest concern,” Jemma says, as she checks a data readout on a nearby screen.

“I kind of miss those days,” Daisy says. “Before we started having to deal with virtual realities and aliens. And flaming muscle cars. And killer robots. And…”

“Yes, I completely agree,” Jemma says, cutting Daisy off. “We’ll, if you’d care to join me, we can relive those good old days.”

“What do you think it is?” Daisy asks.

“I’m not entirely sure, but it’s a piece of technology of almost certainly extraordinary origins,” Jemma says. “It’s almost as advanced as Asgardian tech.”

“Wow,” Daisy says. “But what is it, exactly?”

“Well, that’s what we’re about to find out,” Jemma says.

She hits a button on the device that’s containing the 0-8-4. A surge of electricity goes through the strange cube, and Daisy flinches out of reflex. It takes her a few moments for her to stop holding her breath and simply exhale. A few more moments pass, and nothing happens. Jemma frowns.

“Perhaps I need to rethink my…”

She’s cut off by a blinding flash of light, originating from the 0-8-4. Daisy shields her eyes as the whole world turns white around her…

* * *

Slowly, Daisy lowers her arms as she realizes the light is gone. As she blinks a few times, though, she realizes the entire lab is gone. The whole SHIELD base is gone. It’s just her and Jemma, standing in the middle of the sidewalk on a completely innocuous city block.

“What the…” Daisy says, spinning around to take in the strangely ordinary view around her.

“Where are we?” Jemma asks.

Daisy squints, deep in thought.

“Or…when are we?” Daisy asks, a knowing look on her face.

She locks eyes with Jemma, who mulls over her words.

“Nope, same time period,” Jemma says. “That’s a current smartphone design, and that model sedan was released just this year.”

Jemma points out the evidence as to _when_ they are, and Daisy’s face falls.

“Damn it,” Daisy says. “I’ve always wanted to say that.”

Jemma just chuckles and shakes her head.

“Seriously, though, what happened to us?” Daisy asks.

“I’m not entirely sure,” Jemma says. “We may not have been displaced in time, but we may have simply been – displaced.”

“You think the 0-8-4 just, like, moved us somewhere else?” Daisy asks.

“Perhaps,” Jemma says. “Perhaps we’re…no…”

Jemma stares off into the distance, deep in though. Daisy furrows her brow.

“What is it?” Daisy asks. “Did you figure out where we are?”

Jemma frowns.

“The 0-8-4 has certain molecular properties that make it, in a word, impossible,” Jemma says.

“Impossible?” Daisy asks. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Many things about it – its mass, its composition – simply shouldn’t work under the laws of physics and chemistry,” Jemma says. “It’s as if it derives the energy it need to keep its shape from an extradimensional source.”

“What does that mean for us?” Daisy asks. “And where we are now?”

“It’s out-there, I know,  but I think we haven’t exactly moved through time and space so much as we have been shifted to another dimension,” Jemma says. “Do you understand?”

Daisy rubs the back of her neck.

“Sure, why not,” Daisy says. “Crazier things have happened to us.”

“I’m glad you’re taking this so well,” Jemma says. “Well, we should establish what this universe is like…”

Jemma manages to take two steps forward before there’s a loud rumble from behind them. They both turn to look just as an all-encompassing, bright light flashes just above the city street. Instinctively, they shield their eyes, and as the light fades, a looming, monstrous figure comes into view. It looks like…

“Okay, that’s a straight-up dinosaur,” Daisy says flatly. “Right?”

“Not any species that I recognize,” Jemma says. “Some sort of crazy inhuman? Or alien? Honestly, is anything out of the question at this point?”

“Not really,” Daisy says, dropping into a fighting stance.

All around them, people are running and screaming, desperately trying to get away from the (let’s say) dinosaur that’s just appeared on the road. Cars honk and tires screech, and Daisy and Jemma do their best to not get hit by any of the vehicles now hurtling down the street. The dinosaur roars, a bellowing, unearthly sound, and Daisy’s stance falters.

“Uh, I should fight that thing, I guess?” Daisy asks. “Is that insane?”

“Morally, I think you have to,” Jemma says. “As your best friend, though, I’d advise at least some caution.”

“Okay, great,” Daisy says, clenching her fists more tightly and attempting to pump herself up. “Great. This is going to be great. Fighting a dinosaur. Totally within the realm of my abilities.”

The street has cleared completely, leaving just the dinosaur and Daisy, who boldly steps out to face it. She kneels down and places her palm against the hot asphalt, sensing the vibrations of the world around her. She can feel everything – the asphalt, the soil and rock beneath that, the concrete, brick, and wood of the buildings around her, and the beast, of course, which is taking thunderous steps towards her.

Daisy lifts her palm up off the ground, balls her hand into a fist, and brings it slamming downward. Vibrational energy surges through the street and erupts right where the monster is standing, sending chunks of the street flying up at it. It roars in pain and confusion, stumbling backwards, its weighty body nearly slamming into a nearby building. Daisy, wanting to press what small advantage she just opened up, marches forward, sending blast after blast of energy at the monster. It roars in pain, but it doesn’t seem to be seriously hurt.

“Okay, you’re doing great, Daisy,” she says to herself. “If it’s focusing on you, it can’t – I guess – eat anybody. Which is what giant dinosaur-looking monsters do, I imagine.”

The monster roars and begins charging at Daisy.

“Oh boy,” Daisy says. “Great plan, Daisy. Real smart.”

Daisy sends blast after blast of energy at the monster, but they barely seem to slow it down. The beast’s gaping maw is about to descend upon Daisy when there’s a sound like thunder, off in the distance. Daisy curls into herself, anticipating the beast’s horrifyingly massive teeth, but they don’t come. When she finally looks up, she sees that the beast has been subdued – it’s now lying on its side. What’s even more amazing is that there’s a woman, a striking woman, with golden hair and blue eyes, standing atop the monster.

“Thanks for the assist,” Daisy says.

The woman smiles and nods at her, before gently floating off the monster and landing just in front of Daisy. Out of everything, that almost impresses her the most.

“Of course. Now, I have to ask who you are,” Kara says. “I can’t help but assume that we’re on the same side, given what just happened, but you did appear out of a similar flash of light as that creature did. So – who are you? And where did you come from?”

“I…” Daisy starts, but is cut off by the sound of footfalls behind her.

“Daisy, you’re okay!” Jemma says, running to her side, before turning to look at Kara. “Who’s this?”

“Okay, who are both of you?” Kara asks. “I don’t mean to press, but I’d like some answers.”

Daisy and Jemma exchange a glance.

“Well, I suppose there’s no problem in revealing who we are,” Jemma says. “My name is Jemma Simmons, and this is Daisy Johnson. We mean you no harm; we simply want to return home.”

“Home?” Kara asks. “Where’s home?”

“Not here,” Daisy sighs.

They’re interrupted once again by black SUVs pulling up around them. Out of the lead vehicle steps Alex Danvers, in full combat regalia. Alex immediately locks eyes with Daisy, who, if she were of lesser conviction, might feel intimidated under such a gaze. She raises her sidearm, training it on Daisy.

“Hands up, both of you,” Alex barks out. “We’re taking you in.”

“Okay, hold on,” Kara says. “She helped me fight the…whatever that was. I think they’re on our side, Alex.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Alex says. “They materialized out of nowhere. We have to at least bring them in for questioning.”

“Look, we don’t want any trouble,” Daisy says. “We don’t even know where the hell we are.”

“We’ll go with you,” Jemma says. “If we have some assurances.”

Alex folds her arms across her chest and tries to stare Jemma down, who simply stares back, even more defiant than Daisy. Alex can’t help but wonder who these two women are, so filled with spirit and fight.

“What assurances?” Alex asks.

“Alex, I hear a couple news vans and a helicopter incoming,” Kara whispers in her ear. “A well as a fleet of cop cars. We have to get out of here.”

“What assurances do you want?” Alex asks again.

“We want to be let go after you’re done questioning us,” Jemma says. “And at no point will we be handcuffed, blindfolded, or otherwise subdued. And that you’ll answer our questions, too.”

“What makes you think I’ll agree to any of these demands?” Alex asks.

The thrumming of a helicopter’s rotors picks up in the distance. Kara glances at Alex, concern on her face.

“Because you’re running out of time,” Daisy says. “And you need us more than we need you.”

“Fine, come with us,” Alex says. “All of you, in my vehicle. I’m keeping my eye on the both of you.”

“Thank you,” Jemma says, smiling mirthlessly at her.

* * *

They drive quickly to the downtown DEO headquarters. Though it makes Alex supremely uncomfortable, Daisy and Jemma remain unrestrained, and they take in the city blocks that pass by their windows.

Kara keeps a hand on Daisy and Jemma’s upper arms as Alex swiftly leads them to an interrogation room. A few of her fellow agents look curiously at them, wondering who these strange prisoners are who seem to be breaking all rules of protocol, but nobody stops to question them directly. Though they’re walking quickly, Daisy and Jemma make sure to take in as much of their surroundings as possible.

Finally, they make their way to an empty interrogation room. Alex locks the door behind them and Kara stands in front of it, arms crossed.

“Okay, who are you two?” Alex asks.

“I’m Jemma Simmons.”

“And I’m Daisy Johnson. We’re both Agents of SHIELD.”

“SHIELD?” Alex asks. “I don’t recognize that organization.”

“Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division,” Jemma says.

“Never heard of it. That’s a hell of a name, though,” Alex says. “Sounds like someone just really wanted to make it spell out ‘SHIELD.’”

“She’s not wrong,” Daisy comments to Jemma.

“Okay, what is SHIELD, and why do you claim to be a part of it?” Alex asks.

“SHIELD, simply put, is an intelligence agency that deals with threats of a more, well, extreme nature,” Jemma says. “We deal with aliens, inhumans, supernatural beings, ancient artifacts, and more.”

“We claim to be a part of it because we are,” Daisy says.

“It must not exist in this universe,” Jemma says, mostly to Daisy. “I wonder what else is different.”

“Excuse me, did you just say, ‘this universe?’” Alex asks. “Where did you come from?”

Kara leans forward, about to say something, but Alex silences her with a gesture. She leans back against the door.

“Well, I’m not sure how to fully answer that,” Jemma says. “It turns out the multiverse theory is completely true, and that we’ve come from a universe that does have SHIELD.”

Alex rubs the bridge of her nose. This is not how she thought her day was going to go.

“Any more brilliant questions?” Daisy asks.

“Yes,” Alex says. “What was that thing?”

“What, the freaking dinosaur?” Daisy asks. “Beats me. That thing almost ate me. You can’t possibly think we brought that with us.”

“You could have by accident,” Alex says. “Or whatever energy brought you here brought that thing as well.”

Daisy laughs humorlessly.

“Wait, are we being detained for possibly bringing a monster from another dimension to your doorstop?” Daisy asks. “I just want to make sure that law enforcement in this universe is as bad as it is in ours.”

Alex glares at her, which Daisy remains completely resistant to.

“Could we ask you some questions?” Jemma asks.

Alex sighs and throws her hands up in the air.

“Sure, why not?” Alex asks. “Nothing else about this day has made any sense.”

“Wonderful,” Jemma says. “Who do you work for?”

“You can’t possibly imagine I’m going to answer that,” Alex says.

Jemma just shrugs, unphased.

“Worth a shot,” Jemma says.

“I have one,” Daisy says, before pointing at Kara. “Who is she? And why can she fly?”  

“Well, I mean…” Kara says, puffing her chest out slightly and standing a little straighter. “I’m Supergirl.”

There’s silence for a beat as Daisy and Jemma glance at one another, and Kara deflates.

“There’s no Supergirl at all in your universe, huh?” Kara asks.

Both Daisy and Jemma shake their heads. Kara sighs and hangs her head.

“Is that what the ‘s’ stands for?” Jemma asks, pointing at Kara’s chest. “Supergirl?’

“No,” Kara says, smiling and shaking her head. “No, the ‘s’ stands for…”

“We don’t need to get into that right now,” Alex says.

Kara grumbles, but doesn’t continue her sentence. Daisy just furrows her brow, confused.

“So, you do have, ah, ‘enhanced’ people in this universe,” Jemma says. “Are you inhuman?”

“Inhuman?” Kara asks, crinkling her nose. “No. I’m an alien.”

“Oh, huh,” Jemma says. “Not Asgardian, I imagine?”

“No, not Asgardian. Kryptonian,” Kara says proudly.

“Are we just going to tell these people all of your secrets?” Alex asks. “Want to tell them where you work and what your social security number is at the same time?”

Kara deflates slightly, but still looks happy to have corrected Jemma.

“Do you have people with powers where you’re from?” Alex asks. “People like Supergirl?”

“Not exactly,” Daisy says. “There is this guy named Thor, though, who has long, blonde hair and is super strong and can fly.”

Alex and Kara share a look, confused.

“He has a magic hammer?” Daisy offers.

“Sounds inappropriate,” Kara murmurs, and Alex almost laughs at that.

“Guess there’s no Thor here,” Daisy says.

“Okay, we’re getting sidetracked,” Alex says. “Do you know why you’re here? In this universe?”

“No,” Jemma says. “I imagine it has to do with the artifact I was handling in my lab, but I don’t know by what mechanism it sent us here.”

“So, we’re stuck here, for the foreseeable future,” Daisy says. “We’re serious when we say we don’t want to cause any trouble. We just want to get back home.”

Alex opens her mouth, about to say something, but Kara cuts her off.

“You know, I might be able to help with that,” Kara says.

* * *

Kara and Alex leave the two agents of SHIELD in the interrogation room as they have a quick sidebar.

“You can contact him, right?” Alex asks. “Out of all our friends, he probably has the most experience with interdimensional travel.”

“I can,” Kara says. “The problem is that we don’t know what universe they’re from. We’d need to figure that out before anything else.”

“Look, just call Barry and ask him if he can help,” Alex says. “I know you think they’re trustworthy, but I’d rather not have to deal with people from an unknown universe more than I have to.”

“Fine, fine,” Kara says. “Just let me get my communicator and I’ll give him a call.”

* * *

Kara quickly finds her interdimensional communicator and tries to contact Barry. She’s greeted by a droning wall of static. Kara looks at the communicator, brow furrowed, and tries again. Still – static, loud and overwhelming. She hits the device a couple of times to no avail. Static, again. Kara groans and returns to Alex.

* * *

“Nothing?” Alex asks.

“Nothing,” Kara says. “Winn is taking a look at the device, and Lena’s going to give it a go when she’s done with work, but that option is a dead-end for the time being.”

“Great,” Alex says. “What are we going to do with our two interdimensional exiles now?”

The two of them fall silent in thought for a moment.

“I have an idea,” Kara says. “Nobody is going to like it, though.”

“Wonderful,” Alex says. “Way to sell it, Kara.”

* * *

Alex and Kara return to the interrogation room, where Daisy had been amusing herself by making the table shake with her powers. She stops when the enter, though.

“Hey, there you are. Are you guys going, to, I don’t know, take us out back and shoot us?” Daisy asks. “That sounds like the black ops sort of thing to do.”

“We’re not going to shoot you,” Alex says. “Though the thought had crossed my mind.”

Daisy smiles sweetly at her.

“As we work on a solution to get you back to your universe, we’ve found a place to house you for the time being,” Kara says. “An associate of ours has offered an apartment where you can stay while we figure this out.”

"You're helping us, now?" Daisy asks. 

"Her idea, not mine," Alex says. 

"Why?" Jemma asks. 

"Because, you seem like good people," Kara says. "And I'd hate to be lost in a whole new universe." 

"We're trained spies," Daisy says. "We could make it on our own." 

"Really?" Alex asks. "With however much money you happen to have on you and in a city you've never seen before?" 

"There's nothing wrong with accepting a little help," Kara says. 

Daisy sighs and looks over at Jemma. 

“You know, that’s really generous of you, actually,” Jemma says, surprise seeping into her voice. “Thank you. We'll need all the help we can get." 

* * *

Before they head to the “associate’s apartment,” Kara changes back into her street clothes in order to not rouse any suspicion. Daisy hums when she sees her.

“What?” Kara asks.

“Nothing,” Daisy says. “You just look very…ordinary like this.”

“Thanks, I think,” Kara says, eyeing her curiously.  

“Also, do you have a name?” Daisy asks. “I don’t really want to call you Supergirl, like, casually.”

Kara smiles and introduces herself to Daisy and Jemma, though she only reveals her first name. Though she already trusts them, perhaps more than she should, she knows she should take some precautions with her identity.

“Can I ask you a question, Daisy?” Kara asks. “Your powers – where do they come from?”

“That’s complicated, actually,” Daisy says. “Basically, it has to do with certain modified genes that I have, of alien origin. I guess you could say I’m part alien, in a way.”

“Cool,” Kara says.

* * *

“God damn, who’s your friend?” Daisy asks. “Does he own National City?”

Kara chuckles. She, along with Daisy and Jemma, have just arrived at one of Lena’s incredible penthouse apartments – one of many she has around the city – located in a beautiful, luxurious beachfront building. The views of the ocean are incredible, thanks to the numerous floor-to-ceiling windows that look out in every direction. The décor is plain and modern, all clean lines and neutral colors.

“She, actually,” Kara says. “And she basically does.”

Daisy whistles in appreciation.

“There’s a guest bedroom down this hallway where you two can stay,” Kara says. “Here, follow me.”

The guest bedroom in question is larger than any either Daisy or Jemma have ever had the pleasure of sleeping in, completely with more wonderful views of the ocean, a king-sized bed, a fully stocked closet, and an attached bathroom. The comforter on the bed is fluffy and white, like a cloud, and the urge to dive into it, face-first, strikes Daisy.

“Can we get sent to new universes all the time?” Daisy asks.

“I’m beginning to wonder why we haven’t done this sooner myself,” Jemma says.

Kara just chuckles.

“Make yourselves at home, guys,” Kara says. “Universe-hopping is no fun, so just get settled and we’ll figure this thing out, huh?”

Jemma wants to ask what experience Kara has with ‘universe-hopping,’ but the sound of the door creaking open distracts all three of them.

“Oh, that must be her,” Kara says. “I haven’t 100% explained the situation yet, so you guys just sit tight and I’ll get it all sorted out.”

With that, Kara rushes off to greet whoever just walked in through the door. Neither Daisy nor Jemma know if they should be concerned or comforted by how casual Kara is being about all of this.

“We’re not, like, squatting here, are we?” Daisy asks. “Not that I don’t have experience with that, but still.”

“I certainly hope we aren’t,” Jemma says. “You only get one chance to make a good impression in a new universe.”

A few moments later, Kara walks back in with the mystery woman in tow. She’s quite striking, between her raven-black hair and her delicately pale, green eyes. Both Daisy and Jemma would be lying if they said that they weren’t immediately at least a little taken by her.

“So, Lena, these are my friends,” Kara says. “They’re my friends from…not around here.”  

“Certainly,” Lena says, clearly suspicious of them. “What were your names again?”

“She’s Jemma Simmons,” Daisy says. “I’m Daisy Johnson.”

“Of course,” Lena says. “And where exactly is ‘not around here?’”

Daisy and Jemma look at one another.

“I was in Los Angeles not too long ago,” Daisy says.

“And I’ve been…around,” Jemma says.

Daisy glares at her, and Jemma just shrugs.  

“Kara, what’s going on?” Lena asks.

Kara just rubs the back of her neck as she mumbles something incomprehensibly.

“Look, we’re terribly sorry about this,” Jemma says. “We just need a place to stay for a few nights at most.”

“Are you two in trouble?” Lena asks.

Daisy and Jemma once again share a look, trying to silently communicate with one another.

“That’s certainly one way to put it,” Daisy says.

Lena sighs, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment.

“If you two are going to be staying in one of my properties, you’re going to need to explain yourself better than that,” Lena says. “Kara is vouching for the both of you, which means a lot to me, but I just need to know more about this entire situation.”

“Guys, you can just tell her,” Kara says. “I trust her.”

“Wonderful,” Jemma says, clapping her hands together. “Well, we’re from another universe, having been transported here by an artifact of likely alien origin. We’re stranded here until we can figure out how to, you know, hop between universes. Simple, right?”

Lena almost reacts to that, but instead her lips curl into a slight smile.

“Kara, you have such interesting friends,” Lena says.  


	2. wednesday night drinkball

The four women have moved out onto the extended patio that wraps around most of the penthouse. Daisy and Jemma both continue to marvel at the penthouse. In yet another show of ostentatiousness, there’s a pool sunken into the wooden deck that stretches out all the way to the edge of the building. As tempting as Daisy finds it to strip down and jump into the crystal-clear water, she realizes there are more pressing matters to attend to right now.  

“So, you’re really not surprised by our situation?” Jemma asks. “You believe us?”

“Honestly, weirder things have happened,” Lena says. “That’s just what I’ve come to expect, being friends with Kara here.”

Kara beams, as if Lena has just paid her the ultimate compliment.

“Well, thanks for, y’know, being cool with all of this,” Daisy says. “I promise that Jemma and I will be good guests. We’re housebroken and everything.”

That garners a laugh from everyone at the table. Despite being so far from everything that she knows, Daisy notices herself start to slowly relax. Even with the excitement earlier in the day, this whole universe seems calmer and warmer than her own (though that just might be because of Kara’s glowing presence).

“We’re so grateful that you’re letting us stay here,” Jemma says. “It will be very temporary, we promise.”

“Of course,” Lena says. “I know you want to get home, but, please feel free to stay here as long as you need. I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to be cut off from my entire universe.”

There’s more than a hint of PR-speak in Lena’s words – Daisy and Jemma certainly pick up on it right away. It makes sense, though. This is a rather extraordinary favor that Kara has asked of her, and there’s no doubt that Lena wants things to go as smoothly as possible and avoid any incidents with the two strangers from another universe.

“I think we’ll have no problem doing that,” Daisy says, glancing at their surroundings.

“We’ll just have to get used to the differences of this universe,” Jemma says.

“And even that won’t be too hard,” Daisy says. “You guys just seem to have more aliens and your cities are all weird. Other than that, it feels just like home.”

“Honestly, if we accept the multiverse theory, then there are infinite infinities of strange universes we could’ve been dumped in,” Jemma says. “I’m just glad physics works in a way we understand here.”

Lena leans in, clearly interested in Jemma.

“What’s your background?” Lena asks. “And your accent is so charming. Where are you from?”

Daisy can tell that Jemma is resistant to reveal any information that’s too personal at first – though, of course, being in an alternate universe, it doesn’t really matter like it would back home. Jemma quickly relaxes, though, a smile making its way to her face.

“I’m from Sheffield. England,” Jemma says. “And I have a couple of PhDs. I tend to work mostly within the realm of biochemistry, though I dabble in pretty much everything that interests me.”

“Wonderful,” Lena says. “We have to talk shop sometime.”

“Certainly,” Jemma says. “I imagine you’re a fellow scientist?”

A look of shock swiftly passes across Lena’s face, quickly replaced by a genuinely happy smile. Kara immediately realizes what must be going through her mind – here, in front of her, are two people who know nothing about the whole Luthor legacy and the weight and baggage that name carries. To them, she’s just a striking, beautiful (Kara realizes she’s editorializing, though she’s not wrong) woman who has been so gracious as to invite them into one of her properties, all because Kara asked her to.

“I – yes. I am,” Lena says. “Though these days, I have to focus more on the business side of things.”

“I imagine that’s how you can afford all of this,” Daisy says, gesturing vaguely to the penthouse around her.

Lena smiles again and nods.

“That’s, y’know, not inaccurate,” Lena says.

“Lena is the CEO of L-Corp, which is by far the most important and influential corporation in the entire state. Maybe even the country!” Kara blurts out, unwilling to ever miss the chance to heap praise upon Lena. “And that’s all because of her. She has a million degrees, and is maybe the smartest person ever?”

Kara’s ready and willing to keep going, but she notices that there’s a slight blush to Lena’s cheeks and she’s biting her lip, like she’s desperately trying to hold back a smile.

“Well, I’m super impressed,” Daisy says. “I never finished college and I used to live out of a van.”

“Oh,” Lena says, perfectly downplaying her surprise. “What’s the story behind that?”

Daisy chuckles, a humorless sound.

“That’s a story for another time,” Daisy says. “Maybe accompanied by some drinks.”

Kara and Lena look at one another, silently communicating.

“We were actually planning on going out for drinks tonight, if you guys want to join us,” Kara says. “I know you’re not here to sight-see, but it’ll be more fun than staying here at Lena’s apartment, nice as it is.”

“Besides, it might be an interesting experience to see the differences between our cultures,” Lena says, glancing over at Jemma.

Daisy and Jemma take a moment to look at one another this time.

“I suppose we should,” Daisy says.

“And, besides, this should be a fascinating experience,” Jemma says. “To experience a whole new universe, so close to our own but undeniably different in so many ways”

“Yeah, it’ll be good,” Kara says. “You guys should maybe change, though.”

Jemma doesn’t look too worse for wear, but Daisy’s clothes are ripped and battle-worn, and she still has her gauntlets on.

“I don’t suppose…” Jemma starts.

Lena presses her lips into a tight smile.

“You can borrow whatever clothing of mine you like,” Lena says.

* * *

Daisy and Jemma both end up looking extremely professional, given the general aesthetic of Lena’s entire wardrobe. Daisy has ended up in a pair of tight, black slacks and a black blouse (she has an aesthetic she needs to uphold, too), while Jemma has found maybe the only cardigan that Lena owns, worn atop a striped white blouse and a pair of navy trousers. Lena wears a dress that’s almost too tight and too daring for a night out with friends at a bar, but the way that Kara seems to spend an extra few moments looking at her leaves Daisy and Jemma both thinking that it’s on purpose. The two of them, of course, miss out on the way that Kara and Lena gaze at them appreciatively as well.

“So, fair warning,” Lena says, as they’re taking an elevator down to her private garage. “This is an alien bar.”

There’s a beat of total silence.

“What,” Daisy says flatly.

* * *

“Wait, where are all the aliens?” Daisy asks.

Kara bats at her arm and shushes her.

“Not so loud,” Kara says. “They’re here. They’re just very, very humanoid, like me, or are disguised as such. Even here, it’s safer that way.”

“Huh,” Daisy says. “That really does remind me of home.”

“Honestly, as long as you keep to yourselves, people will leave you alone,” Lena says. “You two will be fine.”

Daisy notices Alex sitting at a booth, surrounded by people who are probably her friends, and she grins.

“Will we be ‘fine’ with her here?” Daisy asks.

Kara scoffs.

“Don’t worry about it,” Kara says. “Alex acts tough because she doesn’t know you two yet, but she’s a real softie at heart.”

“Yeah, she’s a real sweetheart,” Daisy says sardonically, but manages to put a smile on her face as they actually approach the booth.

Alex just scowls at her.

“I thought you were joking when you said you were bringing these two,” Alex says.

“Not joking!” Kara says cheerfully. “Since they might be here for a while, it’d be nice to get to know them better!”

Daisy and Jemma both notice by now how unrelentingly upbeat Kara can be. Given who they are, they try to any evidence of her being disingenuous or somehow manipulative with her attitude, but they’re certainly coming up short.

“You’re acting like they’re your friends already,” Alex says.

“I mean, I like to think we’re getting there,” Kara says, a cheerful smile on her face.

“You know we interrogated them earlier today, right?” Alex asks. “Remember that?”

Kara sighs.

“Yeah, but that’s because you said they could be hostile,” Kara says. “But they weren’t! They just want to get home!”

Alex just groans.

“Yeah, whatever,” Alex says. “Let’s all just hang out and be best friends, then.”

“Exactly!” Kara says, choosing to power right through Alex’s sarcasm. “Anyway, I should introduce everyone. Daisy and Jemma, you’ve already met my sister, Alex. And then we have Winn, James, and Sam.”

Daisy waves a bit awkwardly at everyone as Jemma manages to give a strained smile.

“Why don’t I order some drinks with our guests?” Lena asks. “You might need to find somewhere else for us all to sit, Kara, this booth is already looking a little cramped.”

“Oh, yeah, good call,” Kara says. “Maybe I can push a table up against…”

Lena just smiles and heads off towards the bar, beckoning Daisy and Jemma to follow her.

“They do have alcohol in your universe, right?” Lena asks, half-teasingly.

Daisy lets out a single, short bark of laughter as she leans against the bar.

“We certainly do,” Daisy says, before turning to the bartender. “I’ll have two fingers of whiskey, please.”

The bartender looks her up and down.

“Human whiskey?” he asks.

Daisy is about to laugh at that question until she realizes where she is, so she simply nods instead. The bartender quickly pulls a glass from beneath the bartop and pours out some cheap whiskey for her.

“You two?” the bartender asks.

“Well, the table back there could use a pitcher of beer. Oh, and something special for Kara,” Lena says, putting on a charming smile for him. “I’ll have a whiskey, same as hers. Jemma, do you want anything?”

“I’ll take a Guinness,” she says. “If that’s a thing here.”

The bartender gives her a funny look but starts pouring her drink all the same. Jemma smiles, still feeling out-of-place.

“Guess it is,” Jemma says beneath her breath.

“You’re a beer girl,” Lena says. “I don’t know if I would’ve pegged you as one.”

“Yeah, because you look like you just drink tea and eat crumpets all the time,” Daisy teases.

Jemma chooses to ignore her.

“Fitz, back home, is the beer drinker,” Jemma says. “I sort of just follow in his footsteps.”

“I see,” Lena says. “And Fitz, he’s your…”

“Friend,” Jemma says. “Has been forever, basically. He’s like a brother to me.”

Daisy chuckles, taking a swig of her whiskey. She’s impressed by how adept Lena is at extracting little nuggets of information from people, probably a skill she learned just from being a CEO. For little reason other than the fact that Lena is a very rich and powerful woman, Daisy finds herself being somewhat more wary around her.

“With any luck, he’s figuring out how to get us back home right now,” Jemma says.

“One can hope,” Lena says, not unkindly. “I’m sure you must be desperate to get home.”

Their conversation is interrupted by the bartender placing two large pitchers of beer down in front of them.

“I know what your friends are like, Lena,” the bartender says. “You’ll need both of these.”

Lena smiles.

“Of course,” she says. “Could I get some help with these?”

Everyone cheers, naturally, as Lena and Daisy bring the pitchers of beer over to the table, with Jemma in tow. Lena also hands Kara her drink, tuned to her near-insurmountable Kryptonian metabolism.

“So, you’re the new superhero in town, I hear,” Winn says as Daisy sits down. “What’re your powers, again? That video really didn’t show much…”

Daisy furrows her brow.

“I’ve been in this universe for, what, a few hours and there’s already footage of me?” Daisy asks. “I hope it at least makes me look good.”

“Oh, definitely,” Winn says. “Someone managed to take a quick video with their phone as you were fighting that monster. Do you want to see?”

“I’m good,” Daisy says. “I hope this doesn’t draw too much attention.”

As if on cue, the bartender turns up the TV that hangs over the bar, which is showing a news report on the day’s earlier action. A shakey video shows the monster appearing out of nowhere, and Daisy, a mere speck from the phone camera’s vantage point, stepping out to meet it. The news caption reads: “New In Town: Another Superhero in National City?”

“Oh boy,” Daisy says.

“Well, I suppose some media attention here isn’t the worst thing,” Jemma says. “Though if anyone tries digging into your background, they’re in for a surprise.”

“What do you want to do, Daisy?” Lena asks. “I could have this story squashed with just a phone call.”

Daisy is both terrified and impressed by the conviction and confidence in Lena’s voice.

“No, that’s okay. It’s just some grainy cellphone footage,” Daisy says. “I’m sure people will forget about it by tomorrow.”

Already, a few bar patrons are peering at Daisy, the gears in their head turning.

“Uh, how about we drink and forget all about this?” Daisy suggests, raising her glass of whiskey.

“You know what? Maybe I do like you, Daisy,” Alex says, already pouring out beer for everyone. “It’s been a weird day. I need a drink.”

“Amen to that,” Sam says.

* * *

“Wait, you’re a Krypt-whatever, too?” Daisy asks, just a bit too loud.

Everyone else at the table, save for Jemma, are quick shush her.

“Not so loud,” Sam says. “Officially, I’m just a powerful businesswoman/single mother who loves her daughter. But yes. I do occasionally go out galivanting with Kara.”

“Hey, don’t call it that,” Kara says, voice already slightly slurred from the alien liquor she’s been imbibing. “We’re out doing real hero stuff, Sam. Seriously hero stuff. No galivanting involved.”

“Okay, Kara,” Sam says, patting her hand.

“And you have all the same powers as Kara does?” Daisy asks.

Sam nods.

“I do,” Sam says. “Flying, strength, invulnerability, the works. Though I’m a better fighter.”

“Hey! You just caught me off guard that one time,” Kara says. “Our friendly re-match was…”

“Inconclusive,” Lena says, cutting them both off. “Anyway, let me tell you about the insane meeting I had today…”

Daisy leans over to Jemma.

“I don’t know if I can handle being around another person as strong as Kara,” Daisy says. “I feel outclassed.”

Jemma smiles and pats Daisy’s knee.

“You’re still my favorite superhero, Daisy,” Jemma says.

Daisy can’t help but smile back at her.

* * *

“This is a terrible idea,” Jemma says.

“I completely agree,” Lena says.

“No, this is a brilliant idea,” Daisy says, rolling up the right sleeve of her shirt. “I need to show Alex what’s up.”

“Through an arm-wrestling competition?” Jemma asks. “There are better ways to assert yourself.”

“Seriously,” Lena says. “Are you two prepubescent boys?”

“Yes,” Alex says, completely serious. “Now let’s get this started.”

They clasp hands, both staring furiously into the other’s eyes. Daisy makes sure to flex her bicep and squeeze Alex’s hand as tightly as she can, looking to intimidate her as much as possible. Winn, who seems to be completely into everything that’s going on in front of him, counts them off.

Alex immediately pushes as hard as she can, jerking Daisy’s arm about halfway down to the surface of the table before she can right herself. They stay in stalemate for a few long moments, with Alex beginning to sweat. Daisy grins at her cockily from atop their joined fists.

“Getting tired?” Daisy asks.

“Nope,” Alex says, through gritted teeth, “I’m just getting started.”

“Great,” Daisy says. “So am I.”

Daisy flexes once again and begins slowly but assuredly pressing Alex’s hand to the table. Alex fights to stop her, growing more desperate the closer the back of her hand gets to reaching the table (and, thus, defeat), but even her best efforts don’t seem to do anything. Lena, though she had been mocking this entire affair just moments prior, is now watching with apparent interest. With one last emphatic push, Daisy slams Alex’s hand down.

Jemma cheers, though the rest of the table is silent. Alex groans, throwing her head back.

“What the hell was that?” Alex asks.

“I believe I just won,” Daisy says, grinning at her.

“Yeah, but – look, no offense, but you’re not exactly some musclebound monster,” Alex says.

Daisy grins at her.

“Sorry for the hustle,” Daisy says. “Inhumans like me have enhanced strength.”

“That was totally bogus, then,” Alex says, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms across her chest. “You should arm wrestle my sister.”

“Oh, no,” Daisy says. “I know my limits.

Alex scowls, to which the rest of the table laughs.

* * *

Daisy finds herself at the bar once again, ordering another whiskey. Jemma is quick to join her, leaving the increasingly loud and boisterous table behind in order to get another pint of Guinness. Now that it’s getting later, the place seems to be getting more crowded, with some more exotic aliens walking in.

“I’m getting drunk, Jemma,” Daisy says. “All of my SHIELD training tells me that I shouldn’t, but I feel very comfortable here.”

“Honestly, I do as well,” Jemma says. “Kara is just so warm, and so inviting. She makes it easy to let your guard down.”

Daisy nods emphatically.

“I agree,” Daisy says. “And that Lena, too. She’s very…”

“Striking,” Jemma says, finishing Daisy’s thought. “And intelligent.”

“Exactly,” Daisy says. “I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be careful, but I’m already starting to like these people.

“Me too,” Jemma says, sighing as if liking new people is a great burden.

The bartender sets their drinks out in front of them.

“Well,” Daisy says. “To getting drunk with new friends in a new universe?”

“Works for me,” Jemma says, clinking her glass with Daisy’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sam/Reign is a good guy, I don't really want to deal with the whole worldkiller thing tbh
> 
> I also realize I'm probably making everyone too friendly too quickly, but I just want everyone to be best friends okay


	3. dear science

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry for for neglecting this fic for so long, it's been a combination of life-changes, general laziness, and me rewriting this fic like a half-dozen times because I'm super indecisive. I think I generally know where I want this thing to go, so I should be posting more regularly now.

Daisy nearly jumps out of her skin when she wakes up, turns to her side, and is immediately greeted by a face full of brown hair. She sputters and takes in her surroundings and all of her senses go on high alert until she realizes that she’s in Lena’s penthouse (or one of her penthouses, at least), in a new universe. Jemma is right by her side, at least, and as Daisy’s nerves stop firing in rapid pulses, she finds herself admiring her friend’s face in profile, appreciating the way the soft, morning light captures her delicate features.

Daisy, not one to spend the mornings lazing in bed, is already getting dressed by the time Jemma begins to stir. Jemma groans as she comes to, propping herself up on one elbow as she rubs her eyes with the heel of her palm.

“Morning, sleeping beauty,” Daisy says with a grin. “Feel rested?”  

“I’m not sure,” Jemma says. “I’ll get back to you once I have my morning tea.”

“Yeah, I could definitely slam back a couple cups of coffee,” Daisy says. “I wonder if our generous hosts are still here.”

“Why? Is it late?” Jemma asks, before turning and looking at the bedside alarm clock. “It’s almost noon! I haven’t slept in this late since I was trying to recover from pulling two consecutive all-nighters at SHIELD Academy.”

“That sounds healthy,” Daisy says. “C’mon, let’s see if we can’t find us any caffeine.”

“I’ll be right with you,” Jemma says. “I’m going to get dressed and splash some water on my face, first.

Daisy nods before cautiously opening the door and stepping out into the hallway. Sunlight is flooding into the luxurious penthouse, thanks to the array of floor-to-ceiling windows, and Daisy winces reflexively. She blinks a couple of times, adjusting to the bright sunlight that, though beautiful, is definitely making her headache worse. She pads silently to the kitchen.

She rummages around the kitchen, finding a tea kettle and a French press, as well as a couple of mugs. She’s waiting for the water to boil, leaning casually against the kitchen counter, when the front door opens.

Kara and Lena walk in, looking wholly put-together and not at all like they just spend last night out drinking. Daisy is almost jealous of how not-hungover they both look.

“Morning,” Daisy greets. “I was just making some coffee, if you guys drink that sort of thing.”

“Thanks!” Kara says brightly, and produces a takeout food bag from behind her back. “We brought back breakfast for you. My sister, Alex, swears this is the perfect hangover food.”

“Wow, thank you,” Daisy says. “You guys really didn’t have to…”

Daisy trails off as the wonderful fragrance of the food this her, and she pops open the to-go container to see two beautifully greasy breakfast sandwiches staring back at her. She groans involuntarily at the sight. Jemma walks out into the living room, perhaps drawn by the sound of conversation or the smell of food. Daisy smoothly removes the kettle from the oven and turns the heat off before pouring some of the steaming, hot water into a mug with a teabag for Jemma, and the rest into a French press.

“Well, you are stranded in an entirely different universe,” Lena says. “I’d take the breakfast sandwiches if I were you.”  

“Don’t mind if we do,” Daisy says. “I’m starving, personally.”

“If we ever materialized in your universe, I’m sure you’d do the same,” Lena says.

“Yeah, I’d totally invite you two over to all the beachfront penthouses I have,” Daisy says. “I imagine you two have eaten already?”

“We got brunch a few hours ago,” Kara says. “I’m stuffed, which doesn’t happen to me very often.”

Lena laughs and gently rests her hand upon Kara’s shoulder.

“I was worried you’d completely wipe out that poor restaurant’s food stores,” Lena says. “But, we do have something serious to discuss with you.”

“Naturally,” Daisy says. “I guess life isn’t all breakfast sandwiches and coffee.”

“It’s nothing bad,” Kara says. “Lena and I are going to start to figure out how to get you back to your own universe. So, you guys can just relax for now, and we’ll be doing some science!”

Jemma and Daisy both can’t resist smiling at Kara’s enthusiasm.

“I’ll help you with that,” Jemma says. “I’m not exactly a theoretical physicist by trade, but I know enough to help you guys out.”

“And I’ll be here, I guess,” Daisy says, rubbing the back of her neck. “I can help code if that’s a thing you guys need.”

“You can help with my morale, Daisy,” Jemma says, grinning at her.

“Gee, thanks,” Daisy says sardonically.

“But, go eat, first,” Kara says. “Food is good. And important. We’ll start later.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Daisy says, grabbing the takeout bag, before turning to Jemma. “Want to eat out on the deck?”

“Sounds perfect,” Jemma says.

* * *

The two sit down at a small table by the very edge of the deck, next to the thick, glass fencing that separates them from the sheer, thirty-story drop to the ground. It’s a beautiful National City day, the sun directly overhead and just a few wispy, white clouds against the stunning backdrop of the brilliant, blue sky. As delicious as they are, Daisy barely tastes her breakfast sandwich and coffee, instead focusing on taking in the world around her.

“They’re being too nice, right?” Jemma asks. “It’s not that I don’t trust them, specifically. It’s just…”

“We’re just not used to trusting anyone, especially after such a short time,” Daisy says. “I know what you mean.”

“They do seem genuine, and very generous,” Jemma says. “But, at the same time, I can’t help but feel suspicious. I mean, putting us up in this penthouse? Offering to help us get back to our own universe? It’s a lot.”

“I agree,” Daisy says. “Last night was probably too risky. I’m keeping my guard up. Just in case.”

Jemma nods.

“That seems like the best thing to do,” Jemma says. “If they help us get home, though, I’m certainly not complaining. But we have to be careful.”

“Agreed,” Daisy says.

* * *

“What do you think of our guests, Kara?” Lena asks.

Kara looks over her shoulder. Daisy and Jemma are safely outside, enjoying the sunlight and fresh and air, as she and Lena are lounging in the living room.

“I don’t really know yet,” Kara says. “But, I did saw the way that Daisy immediately leapt into battle against that monster. Not many people would do that.”

Lena studies her for a moment.

“You feel like she’s a kindred spirit,” Lena says.

Kara nods.

“Of course,” Kara says. “I have a good feeling about her. Jemma is a bit more of a mystery, but she hasn’t done anything to make me feel suspicious.”

Lena leans back in her seat and sighs. Kara is so open and easy to trust – Lena finds that it’s her most admirable quality, but also one that gets her into a lot of trouble. Lena doesn’t mind being the mistrustful one, though, especially if it keeps Kara safe.

“I trust your judgement, Kara,” Lena says. “Though I have my doubts. They did materialize at almost exactly the same time that the monster did.”

“What, do you think they brought it with them?” Kara asks. “Why would Daisy fight it, if that were the case?”

Lena shrugs.

“I don’t know,” Lena says. “Look, I’m not saying anything. I just think we should be careful.”

Kara stares down at her feet.

“You’re probably right,” Kara says.

“I want to like them, honestly,” Lena says. “It’s just that Daisy makes me, well, a little nervous. I know you could easily handle her, but she’s nearly invincible to everyone else. She has enhanced strength and those strange vibrational powers. I might be being overly suspicious, but I can’t help but be worried.”

“I’ll keep a close eye on her, don’t worry,” Kara says, putting her hand on Lena’s shoulder. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

Lena smiles fondly at her.

“I know, Kara,” Lena says. “Thank you.”

* * *

Following breakfast, the four of them make their way down to the R&D labs of L-Corp. Daisy’s more than willing to let the other three do all the talking, given that the only science she knows is computer science, not theoretical physics and alternate universes and all those other concepts that fly right above her head.

“Okay, first we should establish how you two got here in the first place,” Lena says.

“I was in the process of examining an unidentified device, possibly of alien origin,” Jemma says. “I got very little data from it before it, well, transported us here.”

“The device was just a small, black cube,” Daisy says. “Really not much to look at.”

“Were there any power sources you could identify?” Lena asks.

Jemma shakes her head.

“Nothing,” Jemma says. “Like Daisy said, it just looked like a black cube. Given the exotic nature of the device’s material, tough, I theorized that it came from an advanced alien race. Like the Asgardians.”

“Asgardians?” Kara asks. “You mentioned them yesterday. What are they like?”

“They’re quite fascinating,” Jemma says. “They’re an ancient race of aliens upon which the old legends of Norse gods are derived. At their core, though, their humanoids with extremely advanced technology.”

Kara nods her head thoughtfully

“Interesting, but I’m fairly certain we don’t have them here,” Kara says. “From what I can tell, the legends of the Norse gods here are just legends.”

“Great,” Daisy says. “It sounds like there are plenty of differences between our universes.”

The group is silent for a moment.

“Okay, maybe we can’t exactly identify what transported you here,” Lena says. “But perhaps it would be helpful to figure out exactly where you came from. The multiverse theory, as we understand it here…”

“Oh! I can answer this one! I have personal experience with this,” Kara says, smiling brightly. “Basically, all of the universes vibrate at slightly different frequencies. By travelling fast enough, you can thus move between the universes. The trick is, of course, finding the right frequency.”

“That’s, well, somewhat of a simplification, but we can work with that,” Jemma says. “What experience do you have, exactly?”

“I’ve hopped between universes before,” Kara says. “I have a device that allows me to travel between known universes, actually.”

“And we can’t use that?” Daisy asks. “Because that would be too easy, right?”

“Known universes,” Kara repeats. “We don’t actually know where you’re from.”

“Can’t you just, like, tell how fast we’re vibrating?” Daisy asks. “Am I just saying really dumb nonsense right now?”

“No, not at all,” Lena says. “These are all good questions. The issue is that the vibrations occur at a level far below anything we can normally comprehend. It’s not quite so simple as hooking a few sensors up to you.”

“Well, alright then,” Daisy says, throwing her hands up in the air. “Then what?”

“I was trying to contact Barry Allen, who can sort of brute-force it,” Kara says.

“Brute-force it?” Jemma repeats.

“He can run so fast he ends up tearing holes between our universe and his universe in his wake,” Kara says. “That’s how he got back home in the first place.”

“Interesting,” Jemma says.

“Oh, he can also sense vibrations at a very fine level,” Kara says. “That’s why I was trying to contact him. I’m sort of hoping that I still can.”

Jemma glances over at Daisy.

“Uh, well, I don’t want to toot my own horn or anything, but I can do that, too,” Daisy says. “I might not be able to run very fast by vibrations are kind of my thing.”

Lena and Kara look at one another.

“How advanced are your sensory abilities?” Lena asks.

“I mean, they’re fine,” Daisy says. “I can sense heartbeats and footsteps, stuff like that.”

Kara rubs the back of her neck as Lena exhales audibly.

“What we need for you to do is to sense the innate frequency the molecules of your own body vibrate at and amplify it to a level that we can detect,” Lena says.

“Right,” Kara says. “Then, we’ll program that frequency into my transportation device.”

“Great,” Daisy says sardonically. “So easy.”

“How about while Kara works on contacting her friend, Daisy can work on increasing the sensitivity of her perception of vibrations?” Jemma asks. “It’ll take some time, but it’s worth a shot. Right now, it looks like our only avenue for success.”

“You’re probably right,” Lena says. “Daisy can train while we work on fixing Kara’s communication device.”

“Cool!” Daisy says. “So, uh, how exactly do I even approach this?”

* * *

“Okay, I want you to hold this pitcher of water,” Jemma says.

“Uh, sure?” Daisy replies. “Am I training to be a waitress?”

Jemma laughs.

“No, this is for you to practice sensing vibrations,” Jemma says. “I know that you can sense things on a macro level. We need to get you thinking smaller.”

“Smaller?” Daisy asks. “You mean, like…”

“Molecular,” Jemma says. “That’s where we start, at least. Do you know the molecular structure of water?”

“Uh, hydrogen and oxygen?” Daisy asks. “High school dropout, remember?”

“That’s all you really need to know. One oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms per molecule,” Jemma says. “I won’t explain all of the nitty-gritty right now, but, basically, any molecule has specific types of molecular vibrations.”

“Wait, what?” Daisy asks. “You want me to try and sense molecular vibration?”

“I do,” Jemma says.

Daisy stares at the pitcher of water in disbelief, immediately feeling completely out of her element; even more so than when she realized she was transported to an entirely new universe, or when she was facing down that monster in the streets of National City. She feels like she’s drowning in the pitcher of water.

“Daisy, you don’t have to get it right the first try,” Jemma says, sensing Daisy’s self-doubt.

Jemma reaches out and puts her hands upon Daisy’s shoulders.

“Breathe, Daisy. Just breathe,” Jemma says. “Reach out with your powers. Try to feel the water.”

“Okay,” Daisy says, slowing down her breathing. “Okay. Let’s try this.”

Daisy shuts her eyes and focuses entirely upon the pitcher of water cradled in her hands. In her mind, she analyzes its shape, feels the curves of glass on her palms. Then, she imagines her senses passing through the glass itself. She tries to imagine the water broken down to its constituent parts: two atoms of Hydrogen, one atom of Oxygen. She furrows her brow and tries to focus, tries to feel the vibrations of these molecules.

As she focuses more and more intensely, she barely breathes at all. And, somehow, feather-light against her skin, she can feel buzzing. Excitement courses through her, since it must be the vibrations of the molecules that she’s feeling. She tries her hardest to stamp that excitement down, knowing that she can’t get distracted now. With a deep breath, she focuses on the buzzing. It grows more and more intense with every passing moment. Her heart pounds in her chest as she struggles to control her breathing. Sweat beads at her temples, before rolling down the sides of her face.

And then, the pitcher shatters, sending water and shards of glass flying in every direction. Daisy’s eyes fly open as she hears Jemma yelp.

Jemma, thankfully, is far enough away that the shards of glass don’t reach her. Daisy sighs as she looks down and sees the carnage – a puddle of water mixed with glass at her feet.

“I thought I was feeling it,” Daisy says. “But I must’ve just been sending vibrations through the pitcher myself.”

“It’s okay, Daisy,” Jemma says. “We’ll keep trying. I’ll go fetch a something to clean this up with.”

Daisy sighs and nods.

* * *

For the rest of that afternoon, they keep trying. They stick with water, but they try different methods of feeling the vibrations. Daisy dunks her hand in water in order to really feel the way the water hits her body in the shower, and even submerges herself in the pool for minutes at a time, trying to focus on the way the water moves around her. Nothing seems to work. By the time the sun begins to set, Daisy is still in the pool, her skin pruning and frustration bubbling up within her.

Just then, Daisy snaps. She can’t take it anymore. She releases a burst of vibrational energy, sending water sloshing up over the sides of the pool and onto the deck.

“Okay! Let’s take a break!” Jemma says.

Daisy pulls herself out of the pool and sits down on the waterlogged deck, wrapping her arms around her knees; she feels something like a waterlogged cat.

“Sorry,” Daisy says. “I’m just getting too worked up now. I feel like I’m failing you.”

“Daisy, it’s okay,” Jemma says, crouching down next to her. “Don’t feel that this is all on you. This is simply one avenue we’re exploring.”

“Okay,” Daisy says, nodding. “Okay. We’ll try again tomorrow.”

“We worked hard today,” Jemma says. “We can take a break, if you’d like.”

Daisy shakes her head.

“No, I want to get this,” Daisy says. “I need to at least try.”

Jemma simply nods, knowing that there’s no stopping Daisy when there’s a goal she’s working towards.  

“What happened out here?”

The sound of heels clacking against the soaked deck accentuates Lena’s arrival. Daisy turns to look at her, guilt clear on her face.

“Sorry,” Jemma says. “We were working on Daisy’s ability to perceive vibrations.”

“And it didn’t work out so well?” Lena asks.

Lena, to their surprise, kicks off her heels and kneels down to join the two of them on the deck. Daisy sighs.

“Not really,” Daisy says. “Did you have any luck?”

Lena shakes her head.

“No, we still can’t contact anyone in the other universe,” Lena says. “We’re still not quite sure what’s going on. The communicator should be working perfectly – there’s nothing wrong with it mechanically, from what we can see.”

“Are we somehow cut off from that universe entirely?” Jemma asks. “Or, perhaps, all of them?”

Lena shrugs and shakes her head.

“Maybe,” Lena says. “I don’t know. We’ll keep working on this.”

“Thank you again for doing this,” Jemma says. “I’m sure you and Kara are busy people, and for both of you to spend so much time on us…”

“Please, don’t even think about it,” Lena says. “And, besides, there’s a selfish reason we’re doing this, too. We want to figure out why we can’t contact our friends, and we also need to figure out where that… organism you fought came from.”

“Yeah, I’m curious about that monster, too,” Daisy says. “That thing was tough.”

Lena looks over at Daisy and gives her a quick once-over, as if she’s seeing her for the first time.

“Are you wearing one of my swimsuits?” Lena asks.

Daisy, suddenly feeling very self-conscious, sheepishly glances down at herself.

“I am,” Daisy says. “Sorry, I just found it in your closet.”  

“No, no, it’s fine,” Lena says. “I did say that you could take anything in there. It looks good on you.”

Daisy, surprised by the compliment as she is, doesn’t show it.

“Thanks. I’m glad we share the same preference in color palettes,” Daisy says, looking down at the all-black one-piece swimsuit she’s in, and then over at Lena’s dark, patterned blouse and black pencil skirt.

Lena grins.

“I’m sure Kara wouldn’t hate to hear you encouraging my taste in wardrobe palettes,” Lena says.

“Kara wouldn’t like what?”

Everyone turns as there’s a sudden rush of air, marking Kara’s sudden arrival. She’s dressed in full Supergirl regalia, her golden hair down and her cape flowing in the wind. With practiced ease, she touches down softly on the deck, her cape dragging against the still-soaked wood.

“Nothing, Supergirl,” Lena says, a smile on her face. “How was your patrol?”

Kara sighs.

“Boring,” Kara says. “I guess I’ve just been doing too good of a job keeping this city safe.”

She looks dramatically off at the horizon, before giggling at herself.

“What a burden that must be to bear,” Daisy comments wryly.

“Hey, I work hard,” Kara says. “Mostly. I’m starving, though, do you guys want to get dinner?”

Lena turns to look at Jemma and Daisy, waiting for their input.

“I guess we’re hungry, but you guys don’t have to…” Jemma starts, but is almost immediately cut off by Lena.

“Nonsense,” Lena says. “My treat. Do you two like Thai food?”

“Ooh, please say yes!” Kara says. “Lena and I just found this great Thai place. Real hole-in-the-wall.”

Daisy and Jemma glance at one another.

“Well, I’m not complaining about free food,” Daisy says, before looking down at herself, water still dripping everywhere. “Let me change first, at least.”

* * *

After a quick shower, Daisy once again rummages through the closet in the master bedroom. To her surprise, tucked away between several very expensive-looking professional blazers is a black leather double-rider, made by some French brand that Daisy knows she would never be able to afford. She knows it’s indulgent and perhaps taking advantage of Lena’s hospitality, but she can’t resist sliding the leather jacket on over her outfit. As she steps out into the living room, where the others are waiting for her, Lena once again gives her a quick once-over, her eyes sweeping over her form.

“Where did you find that?” Lena asks, walking up to Daisy. “I haven’t worn that jacket since college.”

“It was just in the closet in the guest room,” Daisy says. “I can take it off, if you…”

“No, no, it looks good on you,” Lena says. “Probably better than it ever did on me.”

Lena reaches out and gently runs her hand along one of the jacket’s wide lapels. Daisy tries to will the sudden pink in her cheeks to dissipate.   

“Well, I don’t know about that,” Daisy says, rubbing the back of her neck.

Jemma clears her throat, cutting through the sudden tension that’s materialized in the room.

“So, are we ready to go?” Jemma asks.

“Oh, sorry,” Lena says, stepping away from Daisy. “Yes, I believe we are.”

“I’m very, very ready to eat,” Kara says. “And, because Lena really wants to show off, we’re meeting her driver downstairs in a couple minutes.”

“Sheesh, lifestyles of the rich and famous, huh?” Daisy asks.

\----

The dinner is incredible, of course. Kara has amazing taste in food, given how much she eats on a regular basis. Though Daisy and Jemma both resist eating too much at first, wanting not to seem like they’re taking advantage of Lena’s generosity, they end up getting seconds (and thirds, to take home), on Kara’s insistence.

They make small talk all throughout dinner, which feels at once both very odd and very comfortable. They only skim the surface, which they’re all perfectly fine with at this stage of their relationship. Jemma and Daisy learn of Lena’s ascendance to CEO and the very basics of Kara’s crash-landing on Earth, while Kara and Lena learn of Daisy’s hacking skills (and former van-dwelling homelessness), and Jemma’s general genius and extremely young acceptance into the prestigious SHIELD University.

Though it’s nice to share a meal with people who seem like could be friends, Daisy can’t help but feel distracted. Often, in lulls in the conversation or just as it catches her eye, Daisy finds herself staring at the glass of water, thinking of her training from earlier in the day. On top of that, there’s that piece of her mind that won’t calm down, can never calm down. Thanks to her SHIELD training, she over-analyzes everything that Lena and Kara say, constantly checks exits, and fidgets with her gauntlets to make sure they’re on properly (which she ended up wearing beneath the sleeves of Lena’s leather jacket). Her spy instincts certainly don’t want to quiet down.

Lena’s driver takes them back to the penthouse safe and sound, much later in the evening. The sun has set hours ago, and the soft glow of the apartment’s automatic lighting is all that keeps back the warm, light-polluted darkness of a National City night. Lena goes back to her _other_ penthouse, the one closer to her office downtown, and Kara is dropped off at her own apartment, leaving Daisy and Jemma alone in a penthouse that feels too big for two people. Daisy wanders through the living room for a moment, bare feet against the cool, wood floor, unsure of what to do.

Eventually, they silently set out getting ready for bed, washing up and changing into their sleep clothes (well, Lena’s sleep clothes, really). Daisy notices Jemma looking at her, concern in her eyes.

“Daisy, what’s wrong?” Jemma asks, finally.

Daisy sighs.

“I just – I can’t stop thinking that getting home might depend entirely on me,” Daisy says. “And what if I can’t master this skill? Of sensing vibrations?”

“Oh, Daisy,” Jemma says, giving her a warm side-hug. “This doesn’t all fall on you. I want you to know that. Our whole team is probably looking for us right now. I know that Fitz is certainly investigating the 0-8-4, because that’s what he does. Honestly, he’ll probably understand it better than I ever could.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Daisy says, softly.

“And, we seem to have made new friends in this universe who are also trying to help us,” Jemma says. “So, we just have to remain hopeful.”

Daisy manages to crack a grin at that.

“I imagine this is the attitude that helped you survive all that time on that alien planet?” Daisy asks.

“Yes, it is,” Jemma says. “And, compared to that, this is an absolute vacation. I mean, just look at this penthouse.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Daisy says.

Daisy smiles and stares down at the floor for a minute, before looking over at Jemma.

“Hey, do you want to do something irresponsible?” Daisy asks.

Jemma smiles. She would say no if it were anyone but Daisy was asking, but Daisy is asking, and they’ve been through a lot already.

“Honestly, I’m all ears,” Jemma says.

“There must be some fancy-ass liquor around here,” Daisy says. “I know, I know, but I honestly think that Lena would neither notice nor care if she did if some went missing. I say we make some cocktails and use that hot tub out there. Thoughts?”

Jemma smiles.  

“Sounds perfect,” Jemma says. “You’re making the drinks, though.”

“I’m happy to play bartender,” Daisy says. “Do you still like that – what was it called – Bramble cocktail?”

“Oh, you remembered,” Jemma says. “Yes, I do, thank you. Though if you can’t find all the ingredients here, I’m fine with a good old gin and tonic.”

“Oh, I’m making you a Bramble, Jemma Simmons,” Daisy says. “Just you wait.”

They break, Jemma changing into her bathing suit as Daisy goes on a hunt for alcohol. Though it takes her some time – there are a lot of cabinets by the kitchen that aren’t the liquor cabinet – she finds it and finds the proper ingredients for a Bramble and a Manhattan for herself. As Daisy is busy making the cocktails, Jemma walks in, dressed in a svelte one-piece suit and looking even more stunning beneath the soft lighting. Daisy stares at her for a beat too long and nearly drops the disgustingly expensive bottle of Vermouth she’s holding.

Daisy clears her throat.

“Come here often, miss?” Daisy asks.

Jemma comes up and leans against the countertop.

“Only when I’m stranded in a different universe,” Jemma says.

“Well, I have something to take the edge off,” Daisy says.

Jemma smiles at her as Daisy slides the finished cocktail across the marble countertop.

* * *

The two friends find themselves in the hot tub, enjoying their cocktails as hot water bubbles up all around them. It’s not a terribly cold night – National City has weather akin to their Los Angeles or San Diego, as they’ve learned – but the pure luxury of hanging out in a hot tub, looking out onto the nighttime cityscape, is like nothing else. They don’t talk about much, but Daisy tries her best to let her anxieties fade away. The drink helps, certainly, but not as much as Jemma’s mere presence does.

“Are you doing that?” Jemma asks.

She points her drink towards the center of the hot tub, where a small whirlpool has formed that seemingly ignores the turbulence from the bubble jets. Daisy grins sheepishly.

“Sorry,” Daisy says. “I just wanted to see if I could.”

“No, it’s no problem,” Jemma says. “Your powers are really incredible. Truly.”

“I don’t know about that,” Daisy says, feeling suddenly sheepish.

“They are,” Jemma says. “Everything in the universe has energy, meaning everything vibrates at a certain frequency. You have the means to unlock the fundamental nature of the very universe.”

Daisy is silent for a moment, staring out at the city skyline.

“Holy shit,” Daisy says.

Jemma laughs.

“Indeed,” Jemma says. “Never doubt who you are, Daisy. You possess incredible gifts.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, sorry for the pseudo-science lol
> 
> But let's be real, it's no worse than what the actual shows do, so whatever!!!


	4. protect ya neck

It’s only their second morning there, and Daisy already feels used to waking up next to Jemma. Too used to it, perhaps, since she wakes up with her arm loosely wrapped around Jemma’s waist, her fingertips brushing up against bare skin. There’s one wonderful moment, before Jemma wakes up, that Daisy gently tightens her grip, pulling Jemma closer to her. Jemma begins to stir, though, and that kicks Daisy’s mind into wakefulness. She swiftly moves her arm away and tries to play it off as if nothing has happened.

“Good morning,” Jemma says, her voice still thick with sleep. “Did you sleep well?”

“Morning,” Daisy says. “I did. You?”

“Wonderfully,” Jemma says, sitting up and stretching her arms. “Are you ready?”

“Ready for what?” Daisy asks.

“More training, of course,” Jemma says.

* * *

Following a quick breakfast, Daisy begins training. She takes breaks for food and for rest (though Jemma needs to force her to, given she’d just try to power through otherwise).

They hear from Kara and Lena periodically throughout the day, though it’s only to let them know that little to no progress has been made on figuring out what’s wrong with the interdimensional communicator and that they’re still not quite sure about other methods of interdimensional travel. Daisy tries to take it all in stride, but Jemma can tell that it’s eating away at her. Jemma tells her not to worry, but she’s afraid that it falls upon deaf ears.

Later, as the shadows grow long as the sun begins to set, Daisy feels no more in tune with the vibrations of the universe than she did when the day started. Dinner is a mostly silent affair, and Daisy ends up going to bed early.

* * *

The next couple of days go the same way. Daisy tries not to let it get to her.

(It gets to her.)

* * *

“Come on,” Daisy growls. “Come on!”

She pounds her chest with her fist as Kara rushes her again. She dodges a powerful haymaker and catches the girl of steel with a quick jab to the gut. Daisy, always one to press, follows that up by another jab to the body and tries to land an uppercut. Kara just barely manages to avoid it, but nearly loses her footing because of it.

Daisy, seeing an opening, goes for the takedown. She wraps up Kara’s legs and drives her back into the mat. Now in a full mount position, she looks down smugly at Kara.

“Ugh, shoot,” Kara says, tapping Daisy’s thigh. “I’m way too tired to grapple. I yield.”

“Good choice,” Daisy says.

Daisy rolls off of her and onto her back, still breathing hard. Her skin is shiny with perspiration, and even the sports bra and lycra workout shorts feel like too much clothing given how overheated she is.

“Hey,” Kara says, after a few moments. “Is everything alright?”

Daisy, still breathing hard, uses that as an internal excuse as to why she doesn’t answer right away.

“Why do you ask?” Daisy finally responds.

“Well,” Kara says, rolling onto her side so that she can look at Daisy. “You seem a little frustrated. You were really putting your all into some of those punches.”

“Well, I do have enhanced strength,” Daisy says, not wanting to talk about this. “And this is full-contact training. I hit like I would out in the field.”

“No, I understand that,” Kara says. “I just want to make sure that you’re okay. You’re my friend now, Daisy, and I care about my friends.”

Daisy sighs. She figures that Kara isn’t one to give up so easily, and she’s too tired to keep dodging her questions.

“Fine,” Daisy says. “I’m already getting frustrated with training. Jemma’s convinced that my powers are the way to get back home, but I don’t know. I don’t think I can do this.”

“Okay, I think I get it,” Kara says.

She stands up and walks over to the kryptonite emitters and shuts them off. Daisy looks at her, confused.

“What, are you going to put me out of my misery?” Daisy asks wryly.

Kara’s eyes fly wide open.

“No, certainly not!” Kara says. “I would never!”

“I’m just kidding, Kara,” Daisy says. “Seriously, though, what’s your plan.”

“Look, you need to blow off some serious steam,” Kara says. “So, I want you to hit me.”

“I’ve been doing that a lot already,” Daisy says.

“Yeah, yeah,” Kara says. “I was dodging and fighting back, too. Now, I’ll just be here for you to hit.”

“What, you want me to clock you across the face, or something?” Daisy asks, though she starts standing up.

Kara just rolls her eyes and holds up her hands.

“Come on,” Kara says. “The Kryptonite is already leaving my system, which means I’ll barely feel your punches.”

“Alright, fine,” Daisy says.

Daisy starts off slowly, sending a few quick jabs at Kara’s palms. Then, she takes a page out of May’s book, and sends a rapid flurry of palm strikes at the girl of steel.

“Yeah, that’s good,” Kara says. “Don’t hold back.”

Daisy goes back to jabs, but she begins to put more into them. Finding that she likes the feeling of just striking Kara’s hands, she pushes herself to hit harder and harder.

“Alright, that’s more like it,” Kara says. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

Daisy’s throwing haymakers, each strike fiercer than the last.

“I miss my friends,” Daisy says.

Another wild haymaker.

“I want to get back home,” Daisy says.

Another punch.

“I don’t want to let Jemma down!” Daisy says, her voice rising in volume.

Another.

“She’s been through enough already!” Daisy says, accentuating each word with a strike.

Suddenly, Daisy’s arms feel like rubber, and she drops them down, resting her hands on her knees as she tries to catch her breath. She feels Kara squeeze her shoulder.

“Feel better?” Kara asks.

Daisy nods, still sucking in air.

“Yeah, I think so,” Daisy says. “Thanks. And, that was kind of surprising.”

“Surprising?” Kara asks. “How so?”

“I don’t know,” Daisy says. “I guess I thought you’d have some cheesy, melodramatic speech ready for me.”

Kara laughs.

“I do have one ready to go,” Kara says. “I figured you’d need the punching more, though.”

“Good instincts, Supergirl,” Daisy says.

* * *

“I won’t let you down,” Daisy says.

“I’m sorry?” Jemma asks, turning her attention from the book she’s reading to her friend.

“I won’t let you down,” Daisy repeats firmly. “I’ll get it right.”

Jemma smiles at her.

“I have the utmost faith in you,” Jemma says. “I always have, and always will.”

* * *

The next morning, Jemma goes off into the penthouse’s study to brainstorm more ideas on how to get home while Daisy resumes her training. She feels like an absolute idiot as she sits by the pool’s edge, her hand submerged in water.

She desperately wants to be doing something else, anything else, even though she has nothing else to do here. In this world, she and Jemma are nobody. Nobody knows who they are, and certainly nobody cares. They desperately need to get home – who knows what new threats are facing SHIELD now – but currently have only narrow, desperate avenues for success. And who knows? Maybe Jemma is just wrong and there’s no way of getting back, regardless of her mastery over her powers.

Daisy sighs. Her combat training with Kara yesterday helped, but clearly not enough.

She begins to paces by the pool. Her frustration building, she lets it loose in the form of a quick pulse of vibrational energy, sending a column of water pluming up from the pool, around where her hand is. She surprises even herself at the ferocity of the blast of energy and scrambles backwards, trying her hardest to avoid getting hit by water. In her attempt to evade the water, though, she bumps into someone who yelps in surprise.

Daisy turns around, guilt growing on her face as she realizes that it’s Lena she’s bumped into.

“You really hate this pool, don’t you?” Lena asks, amusement in her voice.  

“Sorry!” Daisy says. “I’m just getting a little frustrated. I know it hasn’t been long, and that everyone is working as hard as they can, but I really want to get home. I hate feeling so useless.”

“About that,” Lena says as she produces the day’s newspaper from behind her back and quickly wipes any remaining droplets of water off of it. “Have you seen this?”

Lena holds up an article – not on the front page, but still big enough to warrant a couple of pictures and a big, catchy title. The first picture is a surprisingly high-quality one of Daisy herself, her hands balled up into fists, preparing to face down the strange monster that had materialized mere moments after she and Jemma had. The caption reads: a new superhero in National City?

“Why are you showing me this?” Daisy asks.

“Because I know you’re getting stir-crazy up here,” Lena says. “And perhaps some thrilling heroics will help burn off some of your excess energy so that you stop splashing water all over this deck I had installed just a month ago.”

“Yeah, sorry about that, again,” Daisy says. “And, what, you think I should go out there fighting crime and, I don’t know, helping little old ladies cross the street?”

“Yes!” Lena says. “Look, we’ve hit something of a roadblock in terms of getting you home. It’s okay, we’ll get through it, but you need to go out and do something productive.”

“Training is productive,” Daisy says.

“No, training is driving you crazy,” Lena says, before poking at the picture of Daisy. “This would be productive.”

“Is there some recent crime wave that Kara needs help with?” Daisy asks. “Why are you trying so hard to convince me to do this?”

“Because, for whatever reason, Kara likes you,” Lena says. “And I’m trying, too.”

Daisy sighs, running her hand through her cropped hair.

“Alright, fine,” Daisy says. “What do you have in mind?”

“That’s where I come in,” Lena says. “I’m going to show you around.”

“Don’t you have work?” Daisy asks. “Wait, what day is it?”

Lena just shakes her head and chuckles.

“Just come with me, Daisy,” Lena says. “Let’s get you out of this penthouse.”

* * *

The two of them head downstairs. Lena’s professional driver is already there, sitting in the driver’s seat of one of the many sleek, black luxury sedans that makes up Lena’s fleet. He’s having a serious-seeming conversation on his phone, and he stares at Lena as she approaches the car.

Daisy glances at him again. There’s something about him, perhaps the intensity of his stares, or the way his leather driving gloves grip the wheel, that makes her feel uneasy. She shakes her head, trying to dismiss the thoughts. She wants to be careful, not paranoid.

“I still can’t believe you have a driver,” Daisy says.

“It’s a convenience I’m more than willing to pay for,” Lena says as she opens the rear door for Daisy.

Daisy just shakes her head in disbelief.

* * *

The drive is silent, for the most part. Daisy takes in the city through the window, watching the buildings rush by. It’s yet another warm, sunny day, one that feels so stereotypically Southern-Californian that it hurts.

“Where are you taking me, exactly?” Daisy asks.

“I’m taking you to the spot where Kara got her start as Supergirl,” Lena says. “Or, at least as close as we can get. I want to show you what kind of impact you can have in this city.”

Daisy nods, still not entirely sure what Lena means, but she’s certainly along for the ride now.

They drive towards the waterfront; the nicer high-rise buildings of downtown fading into the distance as they begin to pass by more industrial buildings and warehouses. Towering container cranes loom in the distance, moving shipping containers from the dock onto massive cargo ships.

“Did Kara get her start as a dockhand?” Daisy asks.

“Shush, you,” Lena says.

Daisy grins and leans back in her seat, now eagerly awaiting their destination.

As they continue to drive closer and closer to the docks, though, she notices that the driver’s hands are white-knuckled as he squeezes onto the leather steering wheel, even though they’re merely going with the flow of traffic. A bead of sweat drips down his temple. Daisy leans forward, feeling her body go on full-alert.

The driver makes a sudden left. Lena looks at him through the rearview mirror, concerned.

“Sorry, Ms. Luthor,” the driver says.

“That’s quite alright,” Lena says. “Are we taking a different route?”

The driver takes a beat too long to answer, his lips opening and closing as if he’s reconsidering what he’s about to say over and over again.

“Yes, Ms. Luthor,” he says. “Yes, we are.”  

Daisy frowns. This all feels wrong. Daisy instinctively reaches for her hip, but realizes that, of course, she doesn’t have an ICER or handgun on her. She’ll have to rely on her powers from here on out.  

They take another sudden right, and an imposing warehouse looms ahead of them. Daisy can’t imagine that Lena wanted to take her here, and given the look on her face, she didn’t. About a hundred meters from the warehouse, the driver stops the car.

All is silent, save for the distant calls of the seagulls looping lazily about overhead. Daisy’s glad she’s wearing her gauntlets.

“What’s going on?” Lena demands.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Luthor,” the driver says. “They paid me too well.”

Lena’s expression immediately turns dark.

“You little scumbag,” Lena snarls. “Get out of my sight.”

The driver needs no further prompting, as he exits the car and runs off to safety.

“What the hell is going on?” Daisy asks.

“Someone is about to make an attempt on my life,” Lena says, her voice measured. “Would you like to help me get out of this?”

It takes a moment for Daisy to register what’s going on, the contrast between Lena’s calm tone and the harsh reality of what she’s saying almost too great to comprehend.

“You’re remarkably calm,” Daisy says. “Does this happen to you a lot?”

“Unfortunately,” Lena says.

“Great,” Daisy says sardonically. “Alright, stay in the car for now. Let me figure out what’s going on.”

Lena nods as Daisy slowly steps out of the car. She slams the door shut, the sound of which loudly reverberates against the asphalt and the surrounding buildings, hanging in the air for a moment too long. Just then, as if on cue, armed gunmen flood out of the warehouse, their weapons trained on Daisy and Lena, still in the relative safety of the car. Daisy raises her hands, ready to blow these would-be assassins right out of their combat boots.

“Sir, there was only supposed to be one target,” one of the men says to who is, presumably, the leader of the crew. “Are we sure about this?”  

“Doesn’t matter,” the leader says. “We have our orders. Take them both out.”

“My name is Daisy, by the way,” she quips. “Thanks for asking.”

Just as the gunmen are about to squeeze the triggers of their assault rifles, Daisy lets loose a wave of vibrational energy, sending the unknown assailants stumbling to the ground, their guns clattering against the concrete. Though Daisy knows she could probably take them all down, she doesn’t want to risk Lena getting hurt in the crossfire. Instead, she scrambles back to the car, gets in the driver’s seat, and peels away as the gunmen are still finding their footing.

“Tell me where to go!” Daisy shouts.

“Take a right here!” Lena says. “If we’re sure they aren’t following us, I’ll direct you to my safehouse.”

“You have a damn safehouse?” Daisy asks.

“Of course,” Lena says. “Left!”

Daisy hangs a quick left, the tires of the car squealing against the asphalt.  

* * *

Thanks to Daisy’s SHIELD training, she takes a winding path through downtown National City to, hopefully, ensure that nobody is following them. As they round the corner to a narrow street off the beaten path, they see Supergirl standing in the middle of the road, the concern on her face as clear as day. She must have heard the commotion and flown over. Daisy stops the car, and she and Lena go out to greet her.

Kara immediately wraps Lena up in a big hug.

“I’m so sorry, Lena,” Kara says. “I should’ve been there.”

“Kara, it’s fine. I’m fine,” Lena says. “Daisy was there. She fought them off.”

“You did?” Kara asks, turning to look at her.

Daisy nods, and Kara swoops over to hug her as well. Daisy isn’t entirely sure how to react, but some part of her brain registers that Kara gives very good hugs.

“Thank you,” Kara says, before letting her go. “You two weren’t followed, right?”

Daisy shakes her head.

“I’ve been weaving around downtown for the last fifteen minutes, and I haven’t seen anyone following us,” Daisy says.

“Great,” Kara says. “We should get Lena to…”

She’s cut off by the sound of tires screeching, coming from both ends of the street. So much for her SHIELD evasive driving training. Daisy and Kara immediately look at one another.

“Fly Lena out of here,” Daisy says. “I’ll distract them.”

“There are a lot of them,” Kara says, scanning the area around her with her x-ray vision. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” Daisy says. “Get her out of here.”

Kara looks to Lena, who nods once. Kara takes a deep breath, sweeps Lena off her feet and into her arms, and takes up vertically. Daisy watches them disappear into the distance before dropping into a fighting stance. There are a lot of boots hitting asphalt all around her, a cacophony of sound reverberating in the narrow side-street.

Daisy takes a deep breath, and just as the armed gunmen flood into the street, she slams her hand to the ground. The asphalt moves like waves on water, catching the gunmen off guard. Most lose their footing, tumbling awkwardly to the ground, assault rifles clattering against the asphalt. To take care of the ones that remain standing, Daisy sends two more bursts of vibrational energy, one in front of her and one behind her, the whole street flushed out with waves of her power. Daisy remains the last one standing.

“I’d advise you all to stay down,” Daisy says. “It’ll only get worse from here.”

Already, though, they’re pushing themselves to their feet. Daisy sighs and clenches her fists. Nothing easy with these guys, apparently. Daisy’s happy that she has her gauntlets on, at the very least.

The assailants rush her from both sides. Daisy sends a burst of energy one way, sending a group of them flying backwards, while dodging punches and kicks from the men on the other side. She dodges a punch from one of the attackera, moves in closer, and slams her elbow against his nose. He stumbles backwards, blood pouring from his now broken nose, and he trips over his feet and falls to the ground.

Daisy catches the next attacker’s ankle, thanks to a poorly-timed kick on his part, and sends him tumbling onto his back. Before she can finish him off, though, another clips her with a punch. She dodges two more of his punches, feints, and catches him in the face with a perfectly-timed spinning kick. He crumples to the ground.

There’s one attacker left, still on his feet, and he sprints off onto the main road. Daisy growls and gives chase, but as she turns the corner, the man has a civilian woman in a chokehold, his handgun pointed at her temple.

“Don’t come any closer!” the man shouts. “Or she’s dead!”

People are running away in terror, while in the building above her, people have their cellphones out, documenting the exchange. The woman screams. There are sirens in the distance, but they sound faraway, distant.

Daisy puts her hands up, ostensibly to indicate surrender. It’s clear the man is panicking; this is an ill-planned attempt to escape at best. There’s no need for any civilians to get caught in the crossfire. Still, though, Daisy knows what she must do.

“Okay! Okay,” Daisy says. “You can go. Just don’t hurt her.”

“Hell no!” the man shouts. “The moment I let go of her, you hit me with those freaky powers of yours. No, I’m getting out of here, and you aren’t going to follow me!”

“That’s a bad idea,” Daisy says.

“Shut up!” the man yells.

The man begins to shuffle backwards, the barrel of his handgun still pressed firmly against the woman’s temple. She’s whimpering, her eyes closed tightly shut as tears pour out of them.

Daisy points the index finger of her right hand directly at the gunman’s forehead. She takes a deep breath, and with all of the focus she can muster, sends a directed blast of energy right at him. The woman’s hair flies in every direction, but she’s otherwise untouched. The gunman, though, goes flying backwards. Before he can get up, Daisy runs over to him slams his head against the sidewalk, knocking him out cold. The woman yelps.

Daisy stands back up, trying to catch her breath. There’s a stillness in the air that feels downright unnatural for such a big city street. Before long, though, people beginning murmuring amongst themselves, the sound building to a cacophony. Daisy doesn’t care about the people hanging out of their windows or emerging from storefronts, though. She cares about the hostage.

“Ma’am, are you okay?” Daisy asks.

The woman nods. She looks a little worse for wear, her face streaked with tears and her hands shaking ever so slightly, but she’s okay. She’s alive.

“Yes,” she manages to stammer. “Yes, I am.”

The woman rests her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. As her breathing shows, she looks up at Daisy.

“Thanks to you,” the woman says, already looking much better. “Who are you? Do you work with Supergirl?”

Somehow, a crowd has already formed around her. Daisy begins to feel unsafe, knowing the kind of danger a crowd like this can pose.

“I do,” Daisy says, unsure of what to say. “I work with her.”

“Good,” the woman says. “But who are you?”

Daisy notices that people have their phones out. Whatever she says now is going to be shared all across social media within seconds. It’s probably all being streamed live, too, on top of everything else. Daisy takes a deep breath. Though completely unintentional, Lena has certainly shown her what kind of impact she can have on this city. She’s not sure if she likes it.

But still, she’s new to this city. People here don’t know her, don’t know her history with SHIELD, don’t know of her bad reputation from her time in Los Angeles, don’t know that she got framed for a crime she didn’t commit. A smile every so slightly tugs at the corners of her mouth.

“You can call me Quake,” Daisy says. “I’m here to protect this city.”

Right on cue, before the crowd can get too crazy, black DEO vehicles pull up, tires screeching against asphalt. Alex gets out of the lead vehicle and disperses the crowd. She gently grabs Daisy’s upper arm and guides her into the passenger’s seat of her SUV.

“Quake? Really?” Alex asks, once the doors are closed.

“That’s what they call me back home,” Daisy says.  

* * *

“Holy cow! Quake! That was incredible!” Winn exclaims as they return to DEO headquarters. “We were all watching the livestream.”

“Thanks, Winn,” Daisy says. “But, I was just trying to do what I could. I’m just glad that woman made it out okay. And, Lena, are you okay?”

Lena nods, though her arms are folded tightly across her chest, as if she’s trying to hold herself together.

“Yes, I’m fine,” Lena says. “This is certainly not the first attempt on my life, and it won’t be the last.”

Daisy furrows her brow.

“Who’s after you?” Daisy asks. “Who would want to kill you?”

Lena laughs humorlessly.

“Who wouldn’t?” Lena asks, though no one is laughing along with her. “Sorry. I should be more serious about this. It’s a long story, but I have more than my fair share of enemies. Thanks to my brother, or my support of the alien population, or for a hundred other reasons.”

Daisy nods, though there’s a dark look on her face – she doesn’t like the idea of Lena’s life being under constant threat of being extinguished.

“Are we working on finding out who planned this attack?” Jemma asks.

“Alex and some of the other DEO agents are interrogating one of the would-be assassins right now,” Kara says. “Hopefully, she’ll be back with answers soon. We’re trying to find Lena’s driver, too.”

“Good,” Daisy says. “Jemma and I will do everything we can to help you, too, Lena.”

“Thank you,” Lena says. “I do appreciate more people having my back, though I’d rather not burden you with my problems.”

“It’s no burden,” Daisy says. “It’s really the least we can do, since we’re literally living in your home and taking your clothes and eating the food that you buy.”

Jemma can’t help but chuckle, albeit humorlessly.

“Honestly, it’s better payment than we get for our actual jobs back home,” Jemma says.

“Well, I appreciate it,” Lena says. “I suppose it’ll be nice to have National City’s new favorite superhero watching out for me.”

“Who, me?” Daisy asks, clearly surprised.

Everyone gathered nods.

“Well, that’s new,” Daisy says.

“The people don’t like you back home?” Winn asks.

Daisy laughs, humorlessly.

“Yeah, not exactly,” Daisy says. “I was public enemy #1 for a while. A dangerous vigilante. A terrorist, if the news media was feeling especially ornery that day. An assassin, even.”

“Oh,” Winn says, deflating slightly. “Well, people seem to like you here, at least.”

“Yeah, but public opinion can sway just like that,” Daisy says, snapping her fingers for emphasis. “I hope I haven’t made a mistake, revealing myself to the city like this.”  

“Daisy, you had to help that woman,” Jemma says. “There’s no way you could’ve known that everyone would’ve been recording that.”

“And, besides, we can help control your image once the press runs with this story,” Lena says. “We know how much the news loves a good superhero.”

Lena looks over at Kara, a slight smile gracing her features. Kara fiddles with her glasses in response.

“What, are you a PR manager on top of everything else?” Daisy asks.

“Not exactly,” Lena says. “I did recently purchase a media conglomerate, though. That should help.”

Daisy and Jemma are silent for a moment as they look at one another, as if the confirm that they actually just heard what they think they heard.

“Wait, what?” Daisy asks.

“Don’t worry about it,” Lena says with a mysterious smile. “I’ll just make sure that you get represented fairly.”

“Right,” Daisy says, impressed and terrified of Lena in equal measures.

Before Lena can respond, a DEO agent comes running up to them.

“Guys, you’ll want to see this,” he says.

* * *

They follow him to find Alex standing in the main control room of the headquarters, her arms folded tightly across her chest. She’s speaking in tight, measured tones to Agent Vasquez, who looks equally displeased.

“What’s the news, Alex?” Kara asks.

“Nothing good,” Alex says, leading them over to a large monitor. “This is footage taken from Vasquez’s interview with one of the gunmen we apprehended.”

She taps something on the screen, and a fuzzy video, taken from a camera in the corner of the interrogation room, pops up. The room is stark, lit by a single overhead fluorescent light and furnished by a single metal table, bolted to the ground, and two folding chairs. Agent Vasquez is sitting on one side of the table, while one of the unknown attackers, in handcuffs, sits on the other.

“Look, we already flipped one of your friends,” Vasquez says, feigning disinterest. “We don’t need you for anything, just confirmation of facts we already know.”

Vasquez leans forward.

“We know the attack on Lena was motivated by her stance on alien immigration and integration into society, as well as her views on superpowered individuals,” Vasquez says. “Obvious. We know you have ties to big money, given your equipment. We just need to know who.”

“It doesn’t matter who,” the man says.

“Excuse me?”

The man slams his handcuffs against the table. Vasquez doesn’t even move.

“We are what happens when a society gets so soft that they’re willing to take in whoever shows up on their doorstep – aliens, freaks, everyone!” the man says. “We are the pushback. The reaction.  And we’re willing to do whatever it takes in order to clean up this city! And all cities that act as havens to monsters from other planets! If society isn’t willing to provide law and order, then we’ll step up and do it.”

“I didn’t really need your manifesto,” Vasquez says, still sounding utterly bored. “I just need to know who funds your operation. What do you have to lose, at this point? What loyalty do you have? Your charges will be lightened if you cooperate.”

The video ends there. Everyone is silent for a beat.

“Well, is that it?” Daisy asks. “Did he give a name?”

“He didn’t,” Vasquez says. “But, almost everyone we interviewed said the same thing. That they’re here to clean up the city, and that they see themselves as some vital reactionary force.”

“Great,” Daisy says. “Reminds me of a domestic terrorist group we had to deal with back home.”

“What other information do we have?” Jemma asks. “Have you been able to trace their weapons?”

“You guys really are spies,” Alex says. “We haven’t, yet, but it’s clear just from looking at them – all of their equipment, really – that it’s top-of-the-line tech. These guys aren’t some rag-tag bunch of wannabe revolutionaries. They’re well-trained and very well-funded.”

“Is there any connection to my mother?” Lena asks. “Or my brother?”

Jemma and Daisy share a look at that.

“No, none that we can see,” Alex says. “But we’ll keep looking, of course.”

“Thank you, Alex,” Lena says.

Kara moves beside her and gently squeezes Lena’s upper arm, looking to comfort her. Lena smiles in return.

“What’s our next move?” Daisy asks.

Alex takes a deep breath, regarding the two Agents of SHIELD, finding only steely determination on their faces.

“If you two are serious about helping, you can help us find out where these guys got their weapons,” Alex says.

“And – I know you’re going to complain about this, Lena, but please bear with me – you could act as security detail for her,” Kara says. “I can’t always be there with her, but you two can.”

“Kara, please,” Lena says. “I can handle myself, and I have plenty of security systems in place at work and at home. Besides, I can’t ask our two guests to work as, what, my security guards?”

“We’d be more than happy to,” Daisy says. “You’ve done so much for us already. I’m ready to return the favor.”  

“You won’t even notice we’re there,” Jemma says. “We’re spies, after all. We can be discrete.”

Lena puts her hands on her hips and looks at them both.

“You two are really serious about this, aren’t you?” Lena asks.

Daisy shrugs.

“I almost can’t believe I’m about to say this, but it beats hanging out in your penthouse all day,” Daisy says. “Even though everything about that penthouse is nicer than anywhere I’ve ever lived in my entire life.”  

Lena can’t help but crack a smile at that.

“Okay, fine, you two can look out for me,” Lena says. “I’ll let my assistant Jess know who you two are, and I’ll set up an office for the both of you near mine.”

“Perfect. I’ve always wanted to be a security guard for a powerful CEO,” Daisy says.

“Really?” Jemma asks.

“No, that’s a weird and specific thing to want to be,” Daisy says. “I’m just happy to help.”

“Thank you guys so much for doing this,” Kara says. “Lena hates it when I worry about her, but I just can’t help it!”

Lena smiles fondly at her.

* * *

Late that evening, Kara flies over to Daisy and Jemma’s penthouse, the wind whipping at her face and her cape billowing out behind her. She had been arguing with herself internally over whether or not she should actually do this, to disturb the two newcomers to her universe with her concern for Lena. However, Lena wins out, as she often does, which is why Kara gently touches down by the pool and walks right into the penthouse. It’s clear that Daisy and Jemma are getting ready for bed, since Jemma walks out in her sleep clothes and Daisy is standing there in the living room with her toothbrush in her mouth.

“Hey guys,” Kara greets, wincing internally for just barging into the penthouse. “Sorry for interrupting.”

“No, not at all,” Jemma says. “What’s up?”

Kara starts to pace, her cape dragging on the floor.

“I wanted to talk to you about Lena,” Kara says. “Now, I know she’s acting all cool and collected about all of this, but I know her, and I know this is really hard for her. She says she’s used to it, since she’s been made a – a target like this before.”

Kara’s expression darkens.

“But, I know her,” Kara continues. “This isn’t easy for her.”

Kara stops pacing and looks very seriously at Daisy and Jemma.

“You two are going to be her personal security detail now,” Kara says. “I want you to take care of her.”  

“Yeah, we’ll keep her safe,” Daisy says. “We got this.”

“No, not that – well, I mean, yes, do that,” Kara says. “But I want you to really care for her, alright? I mean, an attempt was just made on her life. I want you to be there for her.”

Kara’s eyes are pleading, and Daisy and Jemma pick up on what Kara is really asking. They’re not there to just be impassive, completely professional bodyguards. No, Kara is asking for a lot more than that.

“We can do that,” Jemma says. “Absolutely.”

“Yeah,” Daisy says, nodding. “Scout’s honor.”

“Okay,” Kara says. “Okay, good.

Jemma studies Kara’s face, studies the way that concern and worry seem to weigh so heavily upon her normally cheery features.

“You care about her,” Jemma says. “A lot.”

Kara’s face softens.

“I do,” Kara says. “I really do. Kind of like you two care about each other.”

Jemma smiles warmly at Daisy, who returns the expression.

“We’ll look after her,” Jemma says.

“I know you will,” Kara says. “Good night, you two.”

Kara steps back outside and flies back off into the night sky. Daisy and Jemma watch her go, until they can see her no longer.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, writing action is fun
> 
> As always, I love feedback!


	5. low class conspiracy

Daisy and Jemma accompany Lena to work the next day, which is a strange experience that’s only made stranger by having to walk through the clean, corporate interior design of the offices with body armor on and handguns strapped to their hips. The numerous L-Corp employees they pass by all react differently to them, though most of them hardly seem to care, which says a lot about the usual level of security around the place. They doubt they’re the only bodyguards that have marched through these offices with Lena.

Lena ends up setting them up in a conference room (one that she promises that they don’t use normally) that’s not terribly far from her office. They quickly get themselves set up while Lena goes off to a meeting.

To aid in their new duties as Lena’s security officers, she’s allowed them access to the building’s security systems: alarms, cameras, and even laser grids for the more sensitive areas. Now that she’s in the system, though, Daisy wants nothing more than to flex her coding muscles and see what she can find by poking around in L-Corp’s servers.

“Don’t,” Jemma says.

“What? I haven’t even said anything!” Daisy says.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Jemma says. “I get it, but I don’t think you should be going through L-Corp’s data.”

“Didn’t we just have a conversation about being cautious around Lena and Kara?” Daisy asks. “Besides, I’m good at what I do. She’d never find out.”

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea,” Jemma says.

“C’mon, aren’t you just the least bit curious?” Daisy asks. “I like Lena, but come on. She had to build her fortune somehow. Don’t you wonder what’s in those R&D labs she has hidden behind laser grids and automatic turrets?”

“Daisy, I understand, but let’s just not, okay?” Jemma asks. “We’re here to protect her, so let’s protect. Besides, you remember what Kara said last night.”

Daisy leans back in her chair before nodding.

“Yeah, alright,” Daisy says. “I guess we should help Alex figure out where those guns came from, anyway.”

“We should,” Jemma says. “And check this out.”

Jemma taps a couple of buttons on the conference table, which their computers are hooked up to, and a hologram of the model of assault rifle used by the would-be assassins appears above it. Daisy’s eyes widen.

“They have this tech here, too?” Daisy asks, waving her hand through the projected gun. “So cool.”

“They do,” Jemma says. “When you work at a billion-dollar corporation like this one, you get all the fun toys.”

Daisy chuckles before standing up and slowly pacing, staring down the rifle.

“Okay, where do we start?” Daisy asks. “I don’t suppose we’re just really lucky and they haven’t removed any of the serial numbers or anything?”

“You should know by now that we’re never that lucky,” Jemma says. “In fact, these rifles seem to have been custom-made for those men. It seems to be a one-off production run.”

“Well, that’s just great,” Daisy says. “Well, maybe we could at least figure out who makes them.”

Daisy types for a few moments on the computer before the hologram begins to change rapidly as the search program she just whipped up compares the rifle of the unknown assailants to all known assault rifle models.

It doesn’t take long for the search to finish, and with its completion comes predictably disappointing results: no known matches.

“Not terribly surprising,” Jemma says. “It’s highly unusual, this rifle.”

Jemma swipes her hands in the air, and the hologram changes – it’s still the same assault rifle, but disassembled, the parts suspended outwards.

“There’s lead lining all throughout the rifle,” Jemma says, highlighting it with a tap of her finger. “Now why would that be necessary?”

“Good question,” Daisy says. “Adds a lot of weight, and for what? To protect against radiation?”

“That was my first thought, but it’s not like they were using radioactive bullets or anything,” Jemma says. “It’s strange.”

Daisy folds her arms across her chest and stares at the projected rifle for a few more moments.

“I’m going to call Alex, tell her what we know,” Daisy says. “Maybe she can help.”

“Sounds good,” Jemma says. “I’ll keep analyzing this.”

Daisy steps to the side and calls Alex, who’s quick to pick up.

“Hey boss, we’re looking at these guns like you asked us to,” Daisy says. “Any more luck at talking to these guys?”

“Please don’t call me ‘boss,’” Alex says. “And no, not really. They’re really sticking to their party line. What’ve you got?”

“Well, the gun doesn’t line up with any known manufacturers, so that’s great,” Daisy says. “Oh, and the whole thing is lead-lined, which is weird, right?”

The line is silent for a moment.

“Shit,” Alex says.

“What is it?” Daisy asks.

“Those guns – they can take high-caliber rounds, right?” Alex asks. “More than you would think for a rifle of its size?”  

“Yeah, they do,” Daisy says, furrowing her brow. “Why?”

“They’re designed to shoot Kryptonite bullets,” Alex says.

“What the hell is Kryptonite?” Daisy asks.

The line is silent for a moment.

“Right, I forgot you’re not from here,” Alex says. “Kryptonite is a substance, a mineral, that comes from Krypton – Kara’s home planet. It’s extremely dangerous to her, like high-level radiation poisoning type dangerous.”

“Okay, I think I get it,” Daisy says. “But what does that have to do with those guns?”

“Kryptonite can also cause radiation poisoning in humans in high enough concentrations or over extended exposure,” Alex says. “The lead lining in the guns is to protect against that.”

“So, basically, these guns were designed specifically for, well, Kara?” Daisy asks. “Damn.”

“Yeah, I don’t like it either,” Alex says. “This really narrows down our search, though. Not a lot of people know how to make Kryptonite bullets or how to even get Kryptonite at all. The DEO has some too, just in case, but obviously ours aren’t the same as theirs.”

The line is silent for a moment.

“Daisy, I’m going to ask you to do something that even I don’t like,” Alex says. “But, I think we need to.”

* * *

“Sheesh, even your office is crazy nice,” Daisy says, slowly spinning about in place to take it all in.

Lena and Jemma just look at her. She clears her throat.

“Sorry,” Daisy says. “We’re here about important stuff. On to that.”

“We think we have a lead on our would-be assassins,” Jemma says.

“Yeah, it’s about their guns, actually,” Daisy says. “But we need your help.”

“Great,” Lena says. “What do you need?”

Daisy and Jemma look at one another.

“Well, we need access to L-Corp files,” Daisy says. “Specifically, R&D files from before you took over.”

Lena’s expression darkens, almost imperceptibly, but it passes quickly. She manages a smile.

“That’s very sensitive information, I’ll have you understand,” Lena says. “Even decades out, most of our R&D work is redacted or, sometimes, completely expunged.”

“We understand,” Jemma says. “You have our word that none of this will get out. Daisy, back in our universe, is our team’s computer expert. She won’t leave a trace.”

“Scout’s honor,” Daisy says. “Plus, this’ll be easier than me trying to get past your security.”

“Excuse me?” Lena says, her brow furrowed.

“Nope, nothing, definitely didn’t say anything about how I’ve been brainstorming ways to get past your firewall,” Daisy says. “So, can we take a look at those files?”

Lena looks at her strangely, but otherwise doesn’t say anything about that.

“I suppose so,” Lena says, moving away from her desk. “Here, you can use my computer. It’s hard-wired to the servers.”

“Great,” Daisy says, cracking her knuckles. “Don’t mind if I do.”

Daisy sits down in Lena’s chair and, after a few moments, gives it an experimental spin. Jemma and Lena share a look.

“Wow, I feel really powerful sitting here,” Daisy says, leaning back in the chair. “I can see why you’re such an accomplished executive.”

“Yeah, it’s all because of my desk,” Lena says. “Could we move this along, please? I do have work to do.”

“Right, sorry,” Daisy says. “Just give me a moment.”

Daisy begins typing away, her fingers flying across the keyboard, getting totally absorbed into her work. Lena leans in towards Jemma and gently grabs her upper arm.

“Is she always like this?” Lena murmurs.

“Always so sardonic?” Jemma whispers back. “Yeah, pretty much. She’s very good at deflecting with humor.”

“Guys,” Daisy says, looking from Lena to Jemma and back to Lena again with a deathly serious expression on her face. “I’m in.”

“Very funny, Daisy,” Jemma says.

“Thank you for your genuine compliment,” Daisy says. “Okay, I have a program looking for through your servers right now and – huh, that’s interesting.”

“What is it?” Lena asks, sensing the change in tone of Daisy’s voice.

“Did you have any security breaches in the last month or so?” Daisy asks.

Lena, concern etched in her features, rushes to Daisy’s side.

“No, not that I know of,” Lena says. “What did you find?”

“Someone got into your servers and set up backdoor access for themselves,” Daisy says, her eyes not leaving the screen. “Whoever did it was good. But not good enough.”

“Can you tell who did it?” Lena asks.

 Daisy shakes her head.

“Unfortunately, no,” Daisy says. “Whoever did this was careful. Didn’t do anything remotely. They had direct access to the servers.”

“They did, did they?” Lena asks, folding her arms. “Could you bring up the access logs to the server room?”

“Sure thing,” Daisy says.

Daisy taps a few keys and brings up the document. Lena leans over her, peering at the screen, close enough that Daisy can pick up on her perfume.

“See anything?” Daisy asks.

Lena shakes her head.

“It’s all normal maintenance,” Lena says. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Whoever’s after you, they did bribe your personal driver,” Jemma says. “They could’ve done the same with your server technicians.”

Lena runs her hand through her hair before slowly walking over to her drinks cabinet, her heels clacking against the smooth floor.

“Well, it’s five o’clock somewhere,” Daisy says.

“Daisy,” Jemma says sharply.

“I’m just getting a glass of water,” Lena says. “I really hate this, you know.”

There’s an edge to Lena’s voice that’s never been there before. Daisy and Jemma look at one another. Lena has been keeping it together remarkably well, given that an attempt has just been made on her life. Still, though, no matter how many times that happens, there’s no getting used to it. Daisy and Jemma both understand that it was only a matter of time before it became too much for her.

“We know this is hard, but we’re going to –” Jemma begins to say.

“I hate this,” Lena says, more emphatically this time. “People scheme and plot, all to get to me. They bribe people, ruin their lives, and for what? The tiniest chance to put a bullet between my eyes?”

“Lena,” Daisy says, standing up.

“I’m sick of this,” Lena says. “And now you two are dragged into this mess, because you’re too honorable and noble for your own good. You think now you’re responsible for my safety. I hate it.”

Daisy drums her fingers against her legs for a moment before slowly, carefully stepping beside Lena. She reaches her hand out, thinks about it for a second, and gently places it on Lena’s back, rubbing it in what she hopes is a comforting gesture.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Daisy says. “I know how you feel.”

“Do you?” Lena asks, her voice harsher than perhaps even she intended.

“I do,” Daisy says. “I know what it feels like to feel like you’re not worth the trouble. That everyone is wasting their time with you. That, because of who you are, you just aren’t worth it. But, I also know that it’s bullshit.”

Daisy’s expletive is so firm and so sudden that Lena can’t help but laugh, albeit humorlessly.

“Excuse me?” Lena asks.

“There’s a little voice in your head that says all of these things, and that little voice is a liar,” Daisy says. “I have that same voice in my head. You can’t listen to it. Because you don’t have to be or do anything to be worth people caring about you. So, Jemma and I are going to stay right here with you, and we’re going to figure this thing out.”

Lena manages to crack a weak smile.

“You know, I’m starting to think that Kara was right about you,” Lena says.

“How so?” Daisy asks.

“She thought you were a kindred spirit. A fellow hero,” Lena says. “Someone who cares so much that they just can’t help it.”

Jemma chuckles.

“You got that right,” Jemma says, putting her hand on Daisy’s shoulders. “And I’ve patched up enough of Daisy’s wounds to prove it.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Lena says.

Lena sighs, her hands on her hips.

“Okay,” Lena says. “Let’s get back to it.”

“Yeah, let’s,” Daisy says, walking back over to the computer. “Oh, and would you look at that. My search is complete.”

Daisy’s face contorts into a frown.

“Shit,” Daisy says.

“What is it?” Lena asks.

“Well, those assault rifles the attackers used?” Daisy asks. “Based on old L-Corp designs for Kryptonite rifles.”

Lena clenches her fists.

“Not L-Corp. Luthor Corp,” Lena says. “Oh, Lex.”

“Your brother?” Jemma asks.

Lena nods.

“He was fond of funding these little personal projects of his,” Lena says. “Like Kryptonian-killing weaponry. Charming, no?”

“Family, right?” Daisy notes.

“Indeed,” Lena says. “So, someone has stolen my company’s old designs for Kryptonite rifles to use against me, and I’m sure they’re just dying to use them on Kara too.”

Lena sighs. It’s one thing that her life is at risk, but to learn that the ultimate target seems to be Kara? It’s almost too much for her to bear. It’s all just too much.

“Where do we go from here?” she asks.

“Well, next we would need to –” Daisy begins to say.

“Lunch,” Jemma interrupts. “We should get lunch. No use theorizing on an empty stomach.”

Lena looks at her like she’s lost her mind. Daisy thinks so to, at first, before the gears start turning in her head.

“I agree,” Daisy says, picking up on what Jemma is doing. “Look, I can run a program to dig a little deeper into the backdoor, but it’ll take some time. The best thing for us to do would be to leave this alone for a bit.”

Lena folds her arms across her chest.

“I know what you two are trying to do,” Lena says. “You’re trying to distract me from all of this so I don’t drive myself crazy.”

“Uh, yeah, that’s exactly what we’re doing,” Daisy says. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

Lena thinks that over a moment before sighing and shaking her head.  

“Yeah, I guess I made that argument for you,” Lena says. “Well, since I’m sure you two aren’t going to take no for an answer, let’s go. We might as well call Kara, while we’re at it.”

* * *

The three of them walk down to a bistro nearby the L-Corp building, where they meet up with Kara. Lena, being Lena, is able to get them a table right away. As they’re waiting for their food to come, they fill in Kara on everything they’ve learned. Her face falls as she learns everything that they have.

“I can’t believe this,” Kara says. “They’re using Lex’s old designs – do we think that the attackers are working for him?”

“I’m not sure,” Lena says. “The attack on me the other day just doesn’t seem like his style. Too loud, not nearly subtle enough.”

“It could be that someone wants us to think it’s him,” Daisy says. “Whoever’s after you must know of your relationship with your brother and is using that to throw you off balance.”

“Well, according to Alex, all of the attackers we apprehended all shared the same ideology,” Kara says, folding her arms across her chest. “All very anti-alien. That fits with Lex.”

“That also fits with nearly half of National City’s human population,” Lena says. “That doesn’t exactly narrow anything down.”

“Well, it kind of does,” Daisy says. “Whoever’s planning this is someone with a lot of power and money.”

“Precisely,” Jemma says. “Someone with enough of both to convince one of your server technicians and your personal driver to betray you, neither of which are easy tasks.”

“So, who’s really rich and hates aliens?” Daisy asks. “There has to be someone who fits that profile. Especially someone who would make both of you their main targets.”

The table is silent for a moment. Of course, the waiter chooses to bring out their food just then, breaking them all out of their trains of thought for the moment. Everything looks and smells delicious, though, and they’re all happy to take some time to eat. Kara absolutely scarfs down her food, which isn’t terribly surprising, but she still manages to look sheepish after doing so.

“Sorry for rushing, guys,” Kara says. “I have to report back to the DEO after lunch, and I might as well tell Alex everything we’ve learned while we’re at it.”

“You can head out now, if you need to,” Lena says. “I wouldn’t want to keep them waiting.”

Kara winces apologetically.

“I hate to just run out on you guys like this,” Kara says.  “The DEO is crazy right now, though, as I’m sure you could imagine.”

“Kara, we got this,” Daisy says. “We’ll take good care of Lena. Promise.”

Kara smiles at her.

“Thanks, guys,” Kara says. “I’ll see you soon, and let you know what Alex thinks of everything you’ve dug up so far.”

They all say their goodbyes before Kara heads out of the restaurant and down a secluded alleyway. Even from inside the restaurant, they can hear the rush of wind that signals Supergirl speeding off into the sky. Daisy idly checks her gauntlets, knowing that she’s the muscle of the group now that Kara is gone.

“So, dessert?” Daisy suggests, trying to break the awkward silence that’s fallen over the table. “I mean, why not, right? I’d be eating all the dessert I could if my life were in danger.”

Lena manages to laugh at that, though it’s a somewhat strangled sound.

“You’re just as bad as Kara,” Lena says. “I haven’t eaten so many sweets in my entire life as I have just being friends with her.”

“That’s not a no,” Daisy says.

“No, it’s not,” Lena says, and flags down a waiter.

He brings over a few dessert menus, which they peruse. Daisy, though, keeps getting distracted by the sounds from the street outside. They’re towards the back of the restaurant, so they’re somewhat cut off from the hustle and bustle of the busy city streets, but whatever’s happening now is just loud enough to bother her. Daisy furrows her brow, trying to look around her fellow restaurant patrons and the waiters and waitresses scurrying about. The sound of screeching tires rises above the din, and Daisy’s hand instinctively goes to her handgun.

“What is it?” Lena asks, picking up on Daisy’s sudden change in demeanor.

“You two stay put,” Daisy says. “Jemma, draw your weapon but keep it beneath the table.”

Jemma nods and does just that. Lena’s eyes grow wide as someone outside starts screaming.

“It’ll be okay,” Jemma says, mustering up a warm, kind smile. “They can’t throw anything at us that we can’t handle.”

“Okay,” Lena says, nodding, as if trying to convince herself. “Okay. Okay.”

Daisy stalks towards the front of the restaurant, weaving between tables and trying not to run into any waitstaff. Her hand is still resting on the grip of her handgun, which draws the attention of more than a few restaurant goers. She can hear the scraping of chairs behind her as people stand up, seemingly unsure whether they should run or stay put. More than a few people at the front of the restaurant start to scream, and as Daisy gets closer to the window, she understands why.

There are men in full tactical gear, their assault rifles raised. They look like they belong to the same group that attacked Lena just the other day.

“We got one,” one of the men says.

“The rest should be in the back,” another says. “Open fire.”

Daisy reacts immediately, raising her hands and sending out broad waves of vibrational energy. The men begin to fire but they’re quickly swept away by Daisy’s powers. People all around begin running and screaming, trying to avoid bullets and waves of energy alike. The windows burst and shatter, adding to the chaos and cacophony of the scene. The attackers all stumble to the ground.

Daisy sprints back to the table, where Jemma has positioned herself in front of Lena, the table tipped over to provide cover.

“We’re leaving!” Daisy shouts. “Out the back!”

Jemma grabs Lena’s upper arm and guides her out of the restaurant, with Daisy leading them both with her hands raised. Luckily, all of the attackers seemed to have been out front, which suits them just fine.

“Where to?” Daisy asks.

“Back to the office,” Lena says. “It’s closer than any of my safehouses.”  

Daisy nods and they begin to run down alleyways and up less-crowded streets, trying to avoid even random passersby. Lena’s heart is thumping in her chest with such intensity that she’s worried about the structural integrity of her ribs, and she’s filled with such nervous energy that she feels her nerves are going to burst in a torrent of electricity. Her flats slap uselessly against the ground as she runs, the shoes too dainty to hold onto her heels during such vigorous activity.

A black SUV swerves up in front of them, cutting them off, and Daisy just sees the sunlight glinting off of an assault rifle before she sends out a blast of her powers, sending the vehicle flying and tumbling down the asphalt. She takes a sudden left, and then a right, hoping that Lena and Jemma are keeping up with her.

Suddenly, the three of them are sprinting down the street towards the L-Corp building. Daisy outpaces both Lena and Jemma, her legs carrying her as fast as they can go. The security guards in the lobby of the building are waving them in, their faces filled with panic. Before they can reach the doors, two more black SUVs pull up in front of them, their tires screeching against the asphalt. Daisy brings both her hands up and pumps waves of vibrational energy into the air. The two vehicles go flying – one gets wedged in an alleyway next to the building, and the other flies through the lobby, leaving shattered glass in its wake, and lands on its rooftop, skidding to a stop.

The attackers crawl out through the broken windows of the SUV, and the security guards are quick to surround them. Daisy nods at them, thankful that none of them seem to have been bribed.

“Okay, we’re here,” Daisy says. “Now what?”

“Down to the garage,” Lena says. “We’ll get one of my cars and drive to my safehouse. Sound good?”

“No complaints here,” Daisy says. “Lead the way.”

They follow Lena to a secure elevator near the back of the lobby and head down to the garage. There’s a fleet of black luxury cars waiting for them. Lena walks up to one of them and kneels down by one of the side-view mirrors.

“Biometrics,” Lena says. “It’s scanning my iris.”

Something in the car beeps and all of the locks open at the same time as the engine roars to life.

“I’ll drive,” Daisy says.

* * *

Daisy drives slowly and cautiously, given that a luxury car tearing down the streets would only attract more attention, which is the last thing they want right now. The route to Lena’s safehouse is already programmed into the car’s GPS, and Daisy is more than happy to just follow the navigational prompts and otherwise take a breather and regroup. Jemma, sitting in the back next to Lena, has gathered the other woman’s hands in her own and trying to help her calm down.

They pull up to a red light, which Daisy isn’t exactly thrilled about. She drums her fingers on the steering wheel, mentally willing the light to change. It seems to be taking forever.

Then, a black SUV pulls up behind them. Daisy grips the wheel more tightly. Another one, the exact same make and model, pulls up alongside them. Daisy glances over, trying to be casual. The windows are tinted dark, nearly as black as the rest of the car, and she can’t make out much detail. She grips the steering wheel more tightly.

The light is still red.

The streets are empty, though.

“Hold on,” Daisy says.

She slams down on the gas pedal just as the windows of the SUVs roll down and more of the attackers pull out their assault rifles and begins firing. Her SHIELD training kicks in and she goes off of pure instinct, taking sudden turns and winding down narrow streets in an attempt to lose their pursuers.

“I’m going to try something crazy,” Daisy says. “Hold on to something.”

Daisy’s driven down to the relatively quiet streets of National City’s old industrial section to avoid as many casualties or injuries to civilians as possible. She makes her way to a fairly wide, abandoned street, and cranks the steering wheel, sending the car into a barely controlled, lateral slide, the wheels squealing against asphalt. She opens her door, raises her hands, and shoots out as much vibrational energy as she can muster.

One SUV manages to swerve out of the way, but the other isn’t so lucky. It receives the full brunt of Daisy’s powers and is literally blown off of its wheels, flying through the air for a few seconds before crashing painfully onto the asphalt. That’s one.

Daisy grabs the wheel and swings her door shut, managing to get control of the car. Now she just has to lose the last SUV. She presses the gas pedal down to the floor once again, testing the limits of the luxury sedan. She continuously cheeks her rear and side view mirrors, wanting to know where that SUV is at all times.

She checks her rearview mirror. The SUV is still behind them.

She returns her gaze to the street in front of them.

She quickly checks the rearview mirror again. The SUV is nowhere to be seen.

Daisy furrows her brow and looks all around her but sees no trace of the SUV. Lena and Jemma look similarly confused, until realization washes over Lena. With an excited smile on her face, she opens up the sunroof and points – the SUV is soaring through the sky above them, held by Kara using just one hand. Kara looks down and winks at them for effect.  

Daisy begins laughing in relief as she slows down the car, and soon Jemma and Lena have joined in as well. Daisy laughs until tears of mirth are squeezing out of the corners of her eyes, and the sense of relief and joy of having made it out of that alive is so overwhelming that it takes her a long time to calm down.

From then on, the drive to Lena’s safehouse is nothing but smooth sailing.

* * *

Lena’s safehouse, as it turns out, is way out in the suburbs outside of National City. It’s perhaps the most generic suburb that any of them have ever laid their eyes on, with cookie-cutter houses in bland colors and carefully manicured lawns, with palm trees out front to give the slightest hint of California flair. Daisy pulls into the garage that Lena instructs her to enter, and they sit there in the car for a moment, all of them unsure of just what to say or do.

“Holy shit,” Daisy finally says.

“You can say that again,” Lena says.

“We made it,” Jemma says. “We’re okay.”

“We’re okay,” Lena echoes. “I want to thank you both. You were fantastic out there. You’ve both saved my lives more times than I can count.”

“All in a day’s work,” Daisy says.

 “In any case, I’m glad you two are here with me,” Lena says, managing a smile. “Alright, let’s get inside. I really need a drink now.”

“Right there with you,” Daisy says.

* * *

The inside of the house is, well, just a house, until Lena presses a button hidden behind a painting hung on the wall and a panel in the floor slides open, revealing stairs down to a hidden basement. Lena descends first, with Daisy and Jemma following behind her. The stairs are steeper and longer than they first realize, and overhead lights flick on automatically as they descend. Finally, they reach the basement, and Lena presses her hand to a biometric scanner at the foot of the stairs.

The whole place comes to life, with lights flicking on, the AC humming to life, and even fake “windows” (LCD screens that simulate the view outside) turn on. The safehouse seems to mimic the floorplan of the house above, from a large, open living room/kitchen area, and a hallway leading off to the bedrooms and bathrooms. The place is luxuriously furnished, too, in a bright, modern style that’s almost enough to distract from the fact that the whole place is buried however many feet underground. Daisy whistles.

“Better than the last safehouse we were in,” Daisy says.

“Most things are better than SHIELD safehouses,” Jemma says.

“Get comfortable, you two,” Lena says. “You’ve earned it. I’ll get us something to drink as we wait for Kara.”

“Sure thing,” Daisy says, sinking down into a sofa. “I could use a drink. Or four.”

Jemma just gives her a look but doesn’t say anything, instead sitting down in a cushy armchair. Meanwhile, Lena rummages through the cabinets in the kitchen before she finds a few glasses and a bottle of whisky.

“Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey,” Lena says. “Old enough to vote.”

She pours a glass for each of them.

“Here’s to you two,” Lena says. “Saving the life of some woman you hardly know over and over again.”

They all clink their glasses.

“Cheers,” Daisy says. “But I think we do know you pretty well.”

“Is that so?” Lena asks.

“Certainly,” Jemma says. “You’re intelligent, driven, and passionate. You’re also incredibly kind and giving, seeing as we’re staying in one of your homes for free, and you’ve been trying to figure out how to get us home.”

Lena is taken aback by that – she’s never thought of herself as someone who’s particularly kind or giving, since she certainly wasn’t raised that way. But now, with Jemma telling her that on top of Kara saying the same, any chance she gets, she almost starts to believe it. She sits down on the sofa next to Daisy, a smile growing on her face.

“I know this is hard on you, being in this strange, new universe,” Lena says. “But I’m glad you two are here. I don’t think I would’ve made it this past week without you.”

“We’re both just happy to help,” Jemma says.

“We are,” Daisy says. “And, to that point, I wanted to ask – how are you feeling?”

Lena looks at her for a moment, sighs, and takes a gulp of whiskey.

“I’m…” Lena says, sounding like she’s about to say “fine,” but decides against it. “I don’t know. It’s strange living your life so publicly, like I do. It makes you a target. People pontificate their love for me or spew hate at me online. People on the news or in the media speculate about my love life or judge the direction I’m taking my company in or try to guess how much I’m really worth. And then, other people try to kill me to satisfy their political agendas or for a hundred other horrid reasons.”

Lena takes another sip of whiskey, and Jemma and Daisy both feel their hearts breaking for her.

“I don’t enjoy living my life like this,” Lena says. “And I certainly don’t like living my life under the threat of death. But if I don’t, if I’m not out in the public, leading my company and giving speeches on alien rights and donating to charity, I feel like I’m not doing much good.”

Lena chuckles humorlessly.

“Maybe I should’ve become a secret agent, like you two are,” Lena says. “Then I could do all my work from the shadows.”

Daisy laughs genuinely at that.

“Trust me, you don’t want that,” Daisy says. “The whole spy lifestyle isn’t nearly as glamorous as James Bond makes it out to be.”

“I’m sure you’re right,” Lena says. “Besides, I don’t think I’m much of a fighter.”

“More of a lover?” Daisy asks.

Lena manages a wry grin at that.

“Perhaps,” Lena says.

Daisy is tempted to pursue that thread of conversation, though she also knows that adrenaline is still coursing through everyone, that the thrill and joy and relief of having made it out of such a dangerous situation alive making everyone just a little loopy. As those thoughts rage in her head, though, Lena’s phone buzzes.

“Kara is here, with her sister,” Lena says. “I have to open the security doors for her.”

“Let’s get them in here,” Daisy says.

* * *

Kara embraces Lena the moment she sees her, squeezing her as tightly as she possibly can without hurting her. Lena hugs her back with everything she can muster, feeling incredibly thankful that she survived so that she can still experience Kara’s embrace. Alex goes in for a handshake, but Lena hugs her too. Alex looks surprised, at first, but goes with it. Kara walks over wordlessly to Daisy and Jemma and wraps them up in a hug as well.

They all stand there for a moment after that, unsure of what to say or do.

“Drink, Alex?” Daisy asks, figuring to start off small. “It’s good. Promise.”

Alex grins grimly at her.

“After what just happened?” Alex asks. “Of course.”  

Daisy pours her a glass. Alex swirls around the amber liquid for a moment before gulping down a mouthful of the stuff, letting it burn her throat on the way down.

“First off, I want to thank Daisy and Jemma for a job well done,” Alex says. “Not only did you repel the attackers, you managed to incapacitate them for long enough that we could take them into DEO custody. We’ll interrogate them as well. We have a couple of teams securing the L-Corp offices as well.”

“Yeah, good job, guys,” Kara says. “I can’t express how much I appreciate everything you’ve done.”

“It was nothing,” Daisy says, rubbing the back of her neck. “Fighting bad guys, tearing up the streets in a luxury car – kind of what I do best.”  

Kara chuckles at that.

“Also, I want to thank you two for helping out with our investigation into our mysterious attackers,” Alex says. “Using old L-Corp AR designs, planning on using Kryptonite bullets, installing a backdoor into the L-Corp servers – that gives us a lot to work with.”

“I might have more evidence soon, too,” Daisy says. “I’m still looking at that backdoor. Hopefully, I’ll figure out how they got in, which could help tell us who did it.”

“Great,” Alex says. “We’re making real progress here, people. And, besides, you never know. One of the attackers might just break and name whoever it is that’s funding them.”

“Would be nice,” Daisy says.

“But now what do we do?” Lena asks. “I can’t exactly stay here in my safe house until you figure out who’s behind all of this.”

“Lena, you know I have to officially recommend that you stay here with a full DEO detail on patrol outside,” Alex says.

Lena looks ready to argue that point, but Alex holds up her hand.

“But, I know that you won’t ever let that happen,” Alex says. “So, now that I’ve at least suggested that, I’ll tell you what’ll actually happen. As much as she’d like to, I can’t have Kara guarding you 24/7.”

She turns to Daisy and Jemma.

“If you two are still up for it, I’d like to assign you as Lena’s bodyguards, permanently,” Alex says. “Or, at least as long as you’re here.”

“You know I don’t like this either,” Lena says. “I don’t like making people responsible for me.”

“Yeah, but I think we both want to do this,” Jemma says. “You’re stuck with us at this point.”

Lena smiles gratefully at her.

“Well, when you put it like that,” Lena says. “How could I say no?”

“I could do it,” Kara says. “I could be with Lena at all times, or at least within short flight times.”

“Kara, I need you on patrol,” Alex says. “And you have your job to think about. I can’t have you circling around the L-Corp building for every hour of every day. And wasn’t it your idea to have them act as security for Lena to begin with?”

“Yeah, but that was before they sent a second army of trained assassins after her,” Kara says. “I want to be there, too. Can’t you have Sam on patrol? Or Astra?”

“Sam is still learning how to control her powers. She’s not cleared for missions like that, she’s strictly backup right now.” Alex says, her hands on her hips. “And Astra is in the Arctic right now, studying the decline of sea ice. You really want to pull your aunt away from that?”

Kara sighs and starts pacing.

“No, I don’t. It’s just…” Kara says.

“Hey,” Daisy says, reaching out and gently grabbing her shoulder. “We won’t let anything happen to Lena. And if we do, you can – I don’t know – punt me into the sun or something.”

Kara musters up a hollow-sounding laugh.

“Alright. I know you can handle yourself,” Kara says. “I just – I want to be with Lena.”

Lena smiles weakly at her.

“I know, Kara,” Lena says. “But I’ll be fine. I’m tougher than I look.”

“You are,” Kara says. “Okay, fine, it’s decided. But I’m spending every moment I’m not out on patrol or at work with Lena.”

“You do anyway,” Alex says, smiling at her. “Okay, I have to get back to HQ, but I’ll send over a fleet of SUVs to take you back to your penthouse as soon as I can. Kara, I want you flying overhead on support. Once they’re inside, I want you back to HQ, with me.”

Kara looks like she’s about to protest, but at a glance from Lena, she simply nods instead.  

“Thank you, Alex,” Lena says.

“Great,” Alex says. “I’ll talk to you all soon.”

* * *

The SUVs do come quickly, giving them barely enough time to finish their drinks. Daisy is more than happy not to have to drive, though, and she watches the cookie cutter houses of the suburbs pass by and get replaced by towering modern buildings as they get closer and closer to Lena’s penthouse.

Daisy’s surprised – though, upon thinking about it more, she knows she shouldn’t be – to see news vans, paparazzi, and random passersby alike all clustered around the lobby of Lena’s building. There’s already a police barricade set-up and the building’s private security look none-too-pleased that there are so many people congregating there on the sidewalk, but everyone gathered there looks determined to get a soundbite or a photography or some kind of reaction from Lena Luthor.

Wordlessly, Daisy slides her hand into Lena’s and gently squeezes it. Lena smiles at her.

The fleet of vehicles stop right in front of the building, and Lena, Jemma, and Daisy are told to hold as the DEO agents set up a perimeter. Agent Vasquez, the lead, gives them the signal, and Daisy opens the car door and gets out first. All of the camera flashes seem to start going off at once, and Daisy winces. There are too many people here. She keeps one hand resting on the grip of her handgun.

Daisy wraps her arm around Lena’s shoulders and quickly escorts her to the lobby. Jemma follows behind them, trying to mean-mug at everyone and generally look tough. All the while, people are shouting at her, trying to get her to give them something, anything. Lena is a professional, and deeply experienced in this sort of thing, so she just keeps her head down and her face impassive and lets Daisy lead her on.

The sense of relief when they reach the lobby is overwhelming, and Daisy squeezes Lena in a quick side-hug before letting her go.

It isn’t until they reach the private elevator to the penthouse that Lena finally exhales, looking like a ten-ton weight has just been lifted off her shoulders.

“How’re you doing?” Jemma asks.

“Nothing I haven’t seen before,” Lena says.

* * *

This is Lena’s main penthouse, the one that she actually sleeps in (when she hasn’t passed out in her office), and neither Jemma nor Daisy know quite what to expect as the elevator doors slide open. What kind of place would an obscenely wealthy CEO call her home?

As they step out into the foyer of the penthouse, they’re surprised to find that it’s surprisingly homey. The walls are a bright, cheerful white, given texture thanks to clean, tasteful picture frame moldings, and the floors a warm, richly-texture wood. Given that the penthouse takes up the entire top floor of the building, there are windows in seemingly every direction, providing beautiful views of National City. The furniture is all clean and modern while also looking genuinely comfortable. The kitchen, though, seems to be the main focus of the main living space, with generous marble countertops and an expansive island.

Daisy and Jemma both breathe a sigh of relief as they get away from the insanity of the crowd below and holster their weapons. Lena, used to it or not, also looks relieved to be back in her own space.

“This isn’t what I expected, honestly,” Daisy says.

“Expected something in a stark black and white, maybe? Something harsh and modern?” Lena asks, before clearing her throat. “It actually was like that before.”

“What changed?” Daisy asks.

“Kara,” Lena says. “Naturally. I spent one evening hanging out at her apartment and I realized just how depressing my penthouse was. I had my interior designer gut the place the next day.”

Daisy laughs.

“Yeah, Kara seems like the kind of person who’d have that effect on you,” she says.

“Very much so,” Lena says, smiling. “Oh, since I suppose we’re all serious about you two acting as my personal bodyguards, let me show you where you’ll be sleeping.”

Lena leads them down a hallway and is about to open the door to a bedroom when she seemingly thinks the better of it.

“Do you want separate rooms, or do you want to share?” Lena asks.

“Share,” they answer at nearly the same time.

Lena smiles knowingly.

“I figured,” Lena says. “Here, this is the main guest bedroom. It has a king-sized bed, a walk-in closet, and an attached bathroom.”

Daisy whistles.

“Yeah, fine, I guess this place is better than my van, too,” Daisy says.

* * *

As the sun begins to set, Lena mentions something about having her personal chef come over to cook dinner for them, but Jemma insists that she wants to make something. Besides, Daisy figures that letting anyone into Lena’s home could be a major risk, even if they are just a chef. If Lena’s personal driver and one of her server techs could get paid off, then so could her personal chef.

“I didn’t know you could cook, too,” Lena says, clearly impressed.

“I’m not the best, but I can manage,” Jemma says. “Besides, I want to do something utterly normal to ground myself, and there’s nothing more normal than cooking.”

“She’s being bashful,” Daisy says. “Jemma’s an awesome chef. She makes these sandwiches that are just – oh man, I can’t even describe them.”

Jemma tries to smile, but her face falls and she leans against the marble countertop, as if a great weight has just overcome her. Daisy’s face twists with concern.

“What’s wrong?” she asks.

“Sorry, I just – the sandwich, that’s Fitz’s favorite,” Jemma says. “It reminded me of him.”

Daisy’s expression now mirrors Jemma’s. With all the excitement surrounding Lena, she had completely forgotten about their team back home. Daisy stands up and makes her way over to where Jemma is standing. Lena stands up as well, confused but concerned.

“Hey, I’m sorry, Jemma,” Daisy says. “I didn’t mean to bring that up.”

“No, it’s quite alright. I shouldn’t be so dramatic,” Jemma says, and looks up to see the confusion on Lena’s face. “Fitz is one of my best friends back home. He’s like a brother to me.”

“I understand,” Lena says. “Jemma, there’s nothing wrong with feeling sad in moments like these. Goodness knows that Kara spends enough time saying the same thing to me.”

Jemma manages as mile at that.

“I appreciate you saying that,” Jemma says. “I know that we’ll make it back home. And, wow, look at me! I should be the one comforting you right now, an attempt was just made on your life!”

“Don’t worry about me,” Lena says. “We all made it out of that alive.”

They fall into silence for a moment.

“You know what? I’m going to take another page out of Kara’s playbook,” Lena says. “I’m going to order pizza.”

Lena pauses, and looks from face to face.

“You do have pizza in your universe, right?” she asks.

Jemma finally manages to laugh at that.

“They do,” Daisy says. “Though everyone’s favorite flavor, by far, is Hawaiian. You know, with the pineapples and ham.”

Lena opens her mouth to speak, and then closes it again. Daisy stifles her laughter.

“Are you being serious?” she asks.

“No, she’s messing with you,” Jemma says. “That’s nobody’s favorite.”

“No, it’s true,” Daisy says. “The Italy on our Earth actually has a tropical climate, perfect for growing pineapples. So, being their most beloved fruit, it was their first choice of pizza topping…”

“Oh, quiet, you,” Lena says, smiling. “I’m ordering normal pizza. Pepperoni, cheese, and vegetarian.”

Lena grabs her phone and steps out of the room to order the pizza. Daisy is kind of amazed, though, about what just transpired. Lena just flipped the mood of the room, in a way that she never would’ve expected of her. Hell, Daisy doesn’t think that she could’ve done as good of a job.

“Lena is quite interesting,” Jemma says, quiet enough that the woman in question can’t here.

“She is,” Daisy says. “She’s constantly finding ways to surprise us.”

They fall silent, though, when Lena steps back into the room.

“The pizza will be here in about half-an-hour,” Lena says. “Kara’s going to be joining us soon, naturally, once she’s done debriefing.”

* * *

Kara, good on her word, streaks through the sky, alight with the colors of the setting sun, back to Lena’s penthouse. She lands gracefully on the penthouses extensive outdoor terrace, like she’s done it a million times before, and steps inside, her cape trailing dramatically behind her.

And her face immediately lights up, bright and childlike, when she smells pizza.

“What is that beautiful thing that I smell?” Kara asks.

Daisy laughs and pats the space next to her on the couch in the living room.

“Sit down, Supergirl,” Daisy says. “Lena got two whole pizzas just for you.”

“Yes!” Kara says, and half-runs, half-bounces over to where everyone else is sitting.

Kara grabs a slice of pizza, folds it lengthwise, and scarfs it down in just a few bites.

“Did you even taste any of that?” Jemma says, still working on her first slice.

“Of course,” Kara says, looking almost offended. “And even if I didn’t, the smell is so wonderful that it hardly even matters.”

Kara grabs another slice and finishes it off nearly as quickly. Lena laughs, her eyes bright with mirth.

“How’d it go at the DEO?” Daisy asks.  

Kara shrugs.

“It was fine,” Kara says, still chewing. “Alex just wanted to go over the our strategy with everyone. She and Vasquez are going to start interrogating all of our guests. Oh, and Alex decided to call Lucy Lane back from whatever DEO outpost she’s stationed at right now.”

“Lucy’s coming back?” Lena asks.

“Yeah, she is,” Kara says. “Alex isn’t thrilled about it, but even she knows that she could use the extra help. I just hope that James can behave himself!”

Kara laughs, nearly losing some of her bite of pizza in the process, and she’s quick to cover her mouth with her hand. Lena looks at her a little strangely, and neither Daisy nor Jemma know what to make of it.

“Yes, I hope that he can,” Lena says. “Anything else?”  

“Not really,” Kara says, her mouth somehow still stuffed with food (nobody is sure how many slices of pizza in she is now, least of all her). “Alex is hoping that Daisy can find something more about that backdoor she found in the server.”

“Shoot!” Daisy says, running a hand through her hair. “I had my program send the results directly to my phone when it was finished. Just a sec.”

Daisy fishes her phone out from her pocket and looks through it. Everyone else waits with bated breath.

“Well, that’s interesting,” Daisy says. “The backdoor was installed off of a secured flash drive.”

“What does that mean for us?” Lena asks.

“It means that someone had to give the flash drive to the server tech who messed around with your servers,” Daisy says. “It might also mean that this exploit has been used elsewhere.”

“I could ask Winn to help,” Kara says. “He has a bunch of nerd friends who would know all about it.”

“Do you think I’m a nerd too, Kara?” Daisy asks.

Kara’s cheeks turn pink.

“No – well, wait, there’s nothing wrong with nerds,” Kara says. “Not that I call you anything, really, you’re a person with…”

“I’m teasing, Kara,” Daisy says, cutting her off. “But yeah, let’s see what his nerd network can pick up on.”

“Cool,” Kara says. “For now, though, let’s eat more pizza.”

Everyone laughs at that.

* * *

Kara stays the night at the penthouse. She takes the other guest bedroom, and after dinner, is quick to change into an old set of silk pajamas she finds in the closet. Sleep doesn’t come easily to her, and she can tell that it doesn’t to Daisy and Jemma either, since she can hear them talking late into the night through the wall that intersects their two rooms.

So, she lies there, staring up at the ceiling and tries to distract herself by focusing on the sound of the waves, rolling up on the coastline miles away. She used to spend so much time at the beach when she was younger, first to accompany Alex when she would surf but later to read out on the sand or to swim, her strength allowing her to cut through even the choppiest of surf. She tries to think of the last time she spent any meaningful time at the beach. It was just her and Astra, right before she went off to study the Arctic ice. They talked about everything, from their memories of beautiful Krypton and of Alura and Zor-El to more immediate topics, such as Kara’s relationships.

Kara blushes, there beneath the cover of darkness, as she remembers what she and Astra had discussed. Almost instinctively, she changes the focus of her sense of hearing so that she can tune into Lena’s heartbeat. She frowns as she finds it beating with surprising intensity, and that restless thumping of Lena’s heart is accompanied by the near-silent sound of her trying to choke back sobs. She gets up immediately and exits her room, trying to be as quiet as possible as she quickly makes her way to the master bedroom, where Lena is.

So focused is she on Lena’s heartbeat that she runs right into Daisy, who’s standing in the middle of the living room, halfway between the kitchen and the master bedroom.

“What are you doing out here?” Kara asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I was getting a drink of water when I heard Lena crying,” Daisy whispers back. “I wasn’t sure if it was my place to go over and check on her.”

“It’s alright, I can handle it,” Kara says. “You go and get some rest, okay?”

“Yeah, sure thing,” Daisy says. “Come get me or Jemma if you need anything.”

“Will do,” Kara says.

Wordlessly, Daisy gathers Kara up in a hug. Though she’s surprised, Kara returns the gesture, wrapping her strong arms around Daisy’s frame.

“Not that I ever complain about a hug,” Kara says. “But, what – ”

“I don’t know,” Daisy says. “Just make sure she’s okay, please?”

Kara smiles at her. Apparently, Kara isn’t the only person who hasn’t fallen completely for Lena’s endless grace and charm.

“I will,” Kara says firmly.

Daisy nods and makes her way back to her bedroom, where Jemma is waiting for her.

Kara makes her way to the double doors of the master bedroom and presses her ear to one of them. Lena is crying, certainly, and the mere sound of it is enough to break Kara’s heart. She takes a deep breath as she takes the doorknob in her hand and slowly turns it, and she opens the door with an equal amount of care.

“Lena?” Kara greets softly. “Is everything okay?”

“Oh, Kara, it’s you,” Lena says, as she dabs at her cheeks and tries her hardest to choke back her tears. “No, I’m – I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“Lena, come on,” Kara says, gently sitting down on the edge of the bed. “I’m here for you. Always.”

Lena nods, and a fresh wave of tears comes upon her, unbidden. She sniffs loudly and grimaces, as if she’s trying to will the tears to go back inside of her.

“I’m sorry,” Lena says. “It’s just – it never gets any easier. At all.”

Kara shifts her position so that she can hold Lena in her arms, and Lena easily slips into her embrace.

“Is this about…” Kara says, her voice trailing off, unable to bring herself to say something along the lines of “the men who want you dead” or “the multiple attempts on your life.”

Lena nods, though, understanding what Kara is referring to.

“Yes, it is,” Lena says, before letting out a watery laugh. “My mother would hate to see me crying like this.”

“Hey, don’t say that. She’s not here, is she? I am, though, and I say that it’s more than okay to cry,” Kara says. “And there are so many people that care about you. There’s Sam, there’s Alex, there’s James and Winn. Now you have Daisy and Jemma, too. There are so many people who want nothing but the best for you.”

“And you too, right?” Lena asks.

Kara smiles down at her.

“Of course,” Kara says. “I’ll always be here for you.”

They fall asleep like that, in one another’s arms.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lena just can't catch a break! Daisy remains the ultimate badass, ofc


	6. polar opposites

The next morning, though, everyone is back to work right away. Daisy sets up in the L-Corp offices with Winn and start to delve deeper into the mystery of the backdoor in the server. Jemma works with the engineering department of the DEO to remake her and Fitz’s ICER design so that they’re well-armed the next time they’re under attack. Alex and her fellow DEO agents are interrogating yesterday’s attackers as they wait for Lucy Lane to arrive, and they’re also coordinating with local police to interview all of the server techs who were working around the time the backdoor was installed. Kara shows up at CatCo, but James almost immediately gives her the day off as he realizes that she won’t be able to focus on her work with Lena still at risk. So, Kara goes off to train Sam before patrolling the skies above the L-Corp building.  

Lena herself insists on personally inspecting the repairs to her office building’s lobby and works with contractors to improve their security measures. As always, she’s absolutely unwilling to show even an ounce of weakness to the public. She’s still refusing any requests for interviews from the media, but she does record a short video message about staying the course and refusing to be deterred by the attacks and releases it the L-Corp website.

The media is absolutely abuzz with the second attack in so many days on National City’s most visible CEO. Rumors and accusations swirl about – is this the work of her brother? Is it related to a recent surge in anti-alien activity? Is the DEO doing enough to keep the city safe? Is Supergirl? James has his hands full at CatCo, certainly, and he does his best to encourage his editors and reporters to avoid any sensationalist urges they may have and only report on the facts.

Another figure of media fanfare and scrutiny alike is Daisy herself, or as she’s known to the general public – Quake. Some are questioning her apparent closeness to Lena, but many more are celebrating her acts of heroism, praising her willingness to step into dangerous situations and fight. People from the restaurant that was attacked are interviewed. Thankfully, none were seriously injured, and none were killed. In fact, everyone interviewed has the same story – that Daisy was quick to leap into action, and it was her powers that saved the day by repelling the attackers and their bullets.

It’s not like Daisy has the time to watch the news, of course. In fact, it’s Daisy, along with Winn, who has the first breakthrough of the day in the case.

* * *

“Oh, that’s not good. That’s really not good,” Winn says, pacing back and forth. “That’s not good at all.”

“What, what is it?” Daisy asks. “Who is this guy? Maxwell…”

“Lord,” Winn finishes. “Maxwell Lord. Dude used to be a major thorn in our side, before he just disappeared. Dropped off the map. I should’ve known he’d be up to something.”

“Okay, whoever this guy is, we don’t exactly have proof that it’s him,” Daisy says. “This isn’t hard evidence. Just one of your buddies says that he’s seen the same code that was used to install the backdoor before.”  

“Yeah, in a cybersecurity case that he worked on. Those court documents are still out there,” Winn says. “The team he worked with accused Maxwell Lord of corporate espionage using almost exact same server backdoor exploit that we’re looking at now.”

“What happened with that case?” Daisy asks.

Winn scoffs.

“Nothing stuck, naturally,” he says. “Lord has money flowing out of his pores, of course nothing stuck.”

“Fine, that’s a good start,” Daisy says. “We just need something more than that.”

Daisy runs a hand through her hair, which has gotten a little shaggy for her likes.

“Okay, I want you to call Alex. Tell her that she needs to start floating Lord’s name in the interrogation room,” Daisy says. “And we need to go through the lives of those server techs with a fine-toothed comb. Even the smallest past interaction with Lord should be treated as suspicious.”

“Wow, who put you in charge?” Winn asks.

Daisy’s pretty sure that he’s joking, but she fixes him with a withering stare nonetheless. He holds his hands up in surrender.

“I mean – I was just,” Winn says. “Yeah, I’ll go and call Alex.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Daisy says sardonically.  

Daisy cracks her knuckles. Before long, she’ll know every single secret these server techs made the mistake of putting online.

* * *

Alex gets off the phone with Winn, a displeased look on her face.

She makes her way over to Agent Vasquez, who’s overseeing the investigation currently underway. She murmurs something in her ear, and her expression turns similarly stormy.

Alex goes off to handle other matters at HQ, while Vasquez stands there for a moment, arms folded across her chest, and processes the information she’s just been given.

With a deep sigh, Vasquez knocks on the door to the interrogation room. The DEO agent inside is quick to answer, and Vasquez pulls him outside to relay this new piece of information to him. He’s shocked, at first, but when he sees how deadly serious Vasquez’s expression is, he quickly adopts a similarly intense persona. He returns to the interrogation room to see if this new angle will produce any results.

* * *

Kara circles in a lazy loop above L-Corp, her training with Sam fresh on her mind. She does think that Alex is being overly cautious by holding her back and refusing to let her go on any solo missions, but at the same time, she understands. It wasn’t terribly long ago that Sam turned into enemy number one – Reign – and terrorized National City, and Kara in particular. It was only with the help of Astra that they were able to stop the “Worldkiller” (Kara hates that name) and prevent her from enacting her terrifying brand of justice upon the city. Lena and Alex, with their combined scientific expertise, were able to stabilize Sam, leaving her with her Kryptonian powers, just without the nasty, vicious persona that went along with them.

So, Sam is one of the good guys now, and Kara has been tasked with helping her gain full control of her powers. Kara knows that it’s good to have another powerful Kryptonian protecting National City, knows that Sam wants nothing more than to repent and use her powers for good, knows all of that. Still, though, sometimes, as Kara is facing down Sam in combat training, she flashes back to that first, fateful fight with Reign. It’s unfair to Sam, she knows, but she just can’t help it. Reign was the most powerful enemy she ever faced, even more terrifying than Astra before they were able to bring her back around to their side, and those memories are persistent in her mind.

Kara sighs. She won’t do much good getting lost in her thoughts up in the cloud. She floats down gently to the balcony outside Lena’s office and lets herself in. Lena turns around and smiles at her as she approaches.

“Hey, Supergirl,” Lena says. “What brings you to my humble office?”

Kara grins at that.

“I feel better being here with you, rather than floating around in the sky,” Kara says. “I was training with Sam earlier today.”

“Oh?” Lena says. “How’s our trainee superhero doing? What’s she calling herself these days, again?”

“She’s doing just fine. I think she’s more than ready,” Kara says. “And she’s calling herself ‘Blackbird’ now.  

“That’s right,” Lena says. “I designed that stupid feather mask for her, along with the rest of her suit. Don’t tell her I said it was stupid.”

Kara laughs.

“I won’t. I promise,” Kara says. “Y’know, you seem like you’re in a much better mood today.”

“I am,” Lena says. “You’ve been such a big help through all of this, as have Daisy and Jemma. Just knowing you’re all around and are fighting to protect me really helps.”

“Well, good!” Kara says.

* * *

“Now that’s interesting,” Daisy says.

“What was that?” Winn asks, sliding his headphones off.

“Come and look at this,” Daisy says, angling the monitor at him. “Now, who do you think is using this very subtle pseudonym?”

“Holy – wow!” Winn exclaims, nearly falling out of his chair in excitement. “Wait, where did you find that?”

“One of our server techs was using one of those apps that auto-delete conversations. Really safe, actually,” Daisy says. “Just not safe from me.”

Winn whistles.

“Well, count me impressed,” Winn says. “Want me to get this to Alex?”

“Absolutely,” Daisy says, grinning at him.

* * *

Lucy Lane has arrived back at the DEO base, and Alex is working on getting her back up to speed. There’s a lot for her to take in, least of all that not only is Astra on their side now, there’s yet another Kryptonian working with them – Sam. And, of course, there’s the whole Daisy and Jemma situation. Lucy takes it all in stride, though, being the consummate professional that she is and because she’s already experienced so much insanity even in her short time with the DEO.

Also, Alex does enjoy the fact that she technically outranks Lucy now, being the director of the DEO. One of the many perks of her position.

As she’s explaining their current case with Lena, her phone begins to ring.

“Winn, this better be good,” Alex says. “I’m here with Lucy, and – wait, slow down.”

Alex’s face goes through about a half-dozen expression as he explains what he and Daisy have learned so far. As soon as Winn hangs up, she sends the text communication log that Daisy found to the police conducting the interrogations on Lena’s server techs. She also reminds the police captain in charge that the DEO is willing to give the server tech the mother of all deals if they flip on Lord. This just might be it.

“What is it?” Lucy asks.

“I’m sure you remember Maxwell Lord,” Alex says. “We might be able to put him away for good this time.”

* * *

It doesn’t take long. With the communication logs laid out in front of the server tech, as well as new physical evidence found in the server room, they got him. He gives up Lord, which, at the very least, links him incontrovertibly to the backdoor in the servers. Meanwhile, in the DEO interrogation rooms, one of the attackers gets a curious case of loose lips and reveals that their weaponry came from “some crazy blueprints” their mysterious benefactor got “off the internet or something somewhere.”

That’s enough for Alex to greenlight a mission against Lord, which she calls “Operation Kingslayer.” Yeah, she knows it’s dramatic, but it feels good to enter that name into their official DEO mission log.

There’s just one problem remaining, though.

* * *

“So, nobody knows where Maxwell Lord is?” Alex asks, her arms folded across her chest.

Nobody answers her. She, along with a handful of higher-up DEO agents, Lucy, Vasquez, Winn, Jemma, and Kara are gathered in the control room of HQ. Daisy has elected to remain at the L-Corp building in order to keep an eye on Lena, where she’s joined by Sam.

“He dropped off the map entirely about a year ago,” Winn says. “He definitely has the money and resources to do that.”

“Rich people,” Daisy says beneath her breath, shaking her head.

Alex glares at her.

“I mean, besides Lena, of course,” Daisy says. “We all love her.”

Everyone gathered, including Vasquez and a handful of the other DEO agents, nod in agreement. Alex resists the urge to roll her eyes.

“That’s not what I was – okay, never mind,” Alex says. “So, Lord has disappeared. Any ideas?”

“I could run a trace on those communications I found,” Daisy says. “It’ll take a while, though, and there’s no guarantee that Lord is still in the same place.”

“Start on that anyway,” Alex says. “It’ll be a good backup in case we do find something else faster. Okay, people, any more ideas?”

“Well, we could probably find all of the properties he or his companies own,” Lucy says. “We could check activity at those sites. Water, electricity, telecommunications, so on.”

“Good, let’s work on that, too,” Alex says. “Kara, I want you sifting through media reports as well. Get James and Winn involved, if you like. Lord is a well-known man, surely there must be some reports from around the time he decided to retire from the public eye. Look into that. Vasquez, see if you can’t lean on our esteemed guests a little harder and get them to give up Lord’s location. Understood?”

Everyone nods.

“Great,” Alex says. “Jemma, how are those ICERs coming along?”

“Oh, fantastic,” Jemma says. “I’m using a 3D printed design that’s – anyway, I don’t want to get bogged down in the technical details. I’ll have enough crafted soon that I’ll be able to start training DEO agents in their use.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” Alex says. “Keep working on that.”

Alex pauses for a beat.

“What are you all still standing around for?” Alex asks. “Get to work!”

Everyone scatters. Alex grins. She loves doing that.

* * *

Unfortunately, their work slowly grinds to a halt. Daisy’s trace isn’t looking like it’s going to be done anytime soon. Sifting through the number of shell corporations and shady exchanges of money that seem to surround every single one of Lord’s real estate purchases is a task that practically requires a team of lawyers sitting in with them. Looking through news reports results in a million different new leads with precious few answers. Everyone is getting frustrated, and about a few hours after the sun sets Alex decides to send everyone home. People protest, of course, but she’d rather have everyone well-rested to attack this problem tomorrow than trying to grind the problem out all night.

* * *

That evening, Kara flies over to Lena’s penthouse with a big bag of Thai takeout clutched in her arms. The scene that greets her as she makes her way into the living room is surprising, given that it involves two elite secret agents from another dimension and one of the most powerful executives in the entirely world. Daisy, who’s laughing from something someone said, has her head resting in Jemma’s lap. Lena has Daisy’s feet in her lap, and she’s painting her toenails.

“What are you guys doing?” Kara asks, already supremely amused.

“Sorry,” Daisy says, still laughing. “I mentioned I wanted to paint my toenails black, and Lena was nice enough to indulge me.”

“And her feet are ticklish,” Lena says. “We’ve finally got her weakness, Kara. Our work here is done.”

Kara looks happy but still very confused, and Jemma decides to take pity on her.

“We decided to have something of a girl’s night to distract us from, well, everything,” Jemma says. “Thanks for bringing food.”  

“My pleasure,” Kara says. “So, what else is on the docket for tonight? Maybe some ice cream? And trashy movies?”

“We hadn’t really thought that far ahead, but sure,” Lena says. “It’s been too long since we’ve had a movie night.”

“Agreed,” Kara says, smiling. “And I think we could all use a break.”

“Oh my god, yes,” Daisy says. “I feel like I haven’t taken a proper break in years.”

“And on that note, let’s eat,” Lena says.

Lena heads into the kitchen to grab some plates and utensils while Kara takes out all the various boxes of takeout she got. She very excitedly explains what everything is, from the various curries to the rice dishes and noodle dishes and beyond. Daisy swears that her appreciation of food is growing just from being in Kara’s presence.

Once they get themselves set up, they all dig in, falling into silence as everyone enjoys the food. Kara doesn’t even look like she’s chewing her food before she swallows it.

“Hey, could I ask you guys something?” Kara asks, turning to look at Jemma and Daisy once everyone has digested at least a little bit of their food. “So, what exactly did you do back in your universe? I feel like I’ve got a general sort of idea of what SHIELD’s all about, but what are some, like, missions you’ve been on?”

Daisy and Jemma look at one another.

“A lot of them are pretty hard to explain,” Daisy says, rubbing the back of her neck.

“Yeah,” Jemma says. “I don’t think that any of our missions have been, say, normal.”

“Try me,” Kara says. “I once got kidnapped by an extradimensional being known only as the ‘Music Meister’ who kidnapped me and my friend Barry and induced a joint hallucination in us in which we had to act out a musical of his design.”

Daisy opens her mouth, and then closes it again. It looks like the gears in Jemma’s head are really spinning, too, as she tries to figure out how any of that was possible.

“I don’t know how I feel about that,” Daisy says, turning to look at Jemma.

“Yeah, that’s extraordinarily outlandish,” Jemma says.

Kara just shrugs as she shovels another bite of food into her mouth.

“It happened,” Kara says.

“Well, then you probably will believe everything that happened to us,” Daisy says.

“But where to begin?” Jemma asks.

Kara’s phone decides to choose that very moment to buzz, and Kara nearly jumps out of her skin before she checks what it is. Her eyes light up when she reads the notification.

“Alex is coming over!” Kara says. “Apparently Lucy forced her to leave HQ, so she’s probably going to be grumpy.”

“Oh, save her some food,” Lena says. “I’m speaking mostly to you, Kara.”

Kara pouts, but still (reluctantly) stops shoveling pad thai onto her plate.

* * *

Alex runs a hand through her hair as the penthouse’s private elevator whisks her upwards. It’s been a crazy, weird couple of weeks, and though she’s loath to admit it, she could definitely use a break. Between their two new extradimensional agents/friends and Maxwell Lord bursting back onto the (crime) scene, she doesn’t quite know what to do with herself. Sam has been supportive, of course, but even she’s been more focused on training and honing her powers than anything else.

So, by the time the elevator deposits her in Lena’s absurdly luxurious penthouse, she’s actually excited to see everyone. Though she’s still pissed at Lucy for making her leave HQ (she’s in charge now, dammit!) Unsurprisingly, everyone is eating when she shows off. With Kara around, there’s just no avoiding that.

“Hey, guys,” Alex says. “Don’t let me stop your conversation. What were you guys talking about?”

Alex grabs a plate and is surprised to find that Kara actually left her a decent amount of food. She goes straight for the pad thai.

“We were talking about some of our missions back home,” Daisy says. “And, y’know, I think that it’s best I start at the very beginning.”

“Oh, I know where this is going,” Jemma says.

“You want to know how SHIELD recruited me?” Daisy asks. “They kidnapped me! And interrogated me!”

“That sounds familiar,” Alex says. “Is that how you make all your friends?”

“Shut up, you,” Daisy says. “But isn’t that crazy?”

“Why would they do that, though?” Lena asks.

“Well, I may have been part of a hacktivist group looking to expose SHIELD secrets,” Daisy says, rubbing the back of her neck. “Also, I may have been living out of a van. And, my name was Skye back then.”

Nobody quite knows how to react to that (except for Jemma, who’s trying to stifle her laughter).

“So, you went from fighting the man to becoming the man?” Alex asks.

“Well, there’s another long story,” Daisy says.

“Can I call you Skye?” Kara asks.

Daisy shakes her head.

“It’s a little stripper-y, for my tastes,” Daisy says.

* * *

“Wait, so they had infiltrated SHIELD?” Alex asks, practically on the edge of her seat.

“Yup,” Daisy says. “It was insane, nobody knew who they could trust. Captain America was in the center of it all, too, fighting the good fight.”

“Hold up,” Kara says. “There’s someone in your universe called ‘Captain America?’”

“Hey, don’t tease, ‘Supergirl,’” Daisy says. “She who fights crime in a skirt shouldn’t throw about insults to other superheroes.”

Kara pouts, to which Lena laughs and rubs her shoulder.

* * *

“I had to go undercover in Hydra for a while,” Jemma says. “I was working in their science division, attempting to gather intel without getting caught or genuinely helping their science program out too much.”

“Crazy,” Alex says, shaking her head.

“I thought I was doing fine, you know, keeping my head down and going about my work,” Jemma says. “But before I knew it, my cover was becoming compromised. There was this terrifying Hydra agent who was suspicious of me – she was this tall, muscular woman who could mean mug with the best of them.”

Everyone leans in slightly, so enraptured by the story are they (even Daisy, who knows exactly what happens).

“Before long, everything starts falling apart,” Jemma says. “Soon, all of the Hydra higher-ups suspect me, and I try to make my escape. I’m winding through the building I was working in, just when I think I’m safe - I reach a dead end instead. And who’s bearing down on me but two guards and the woman from before, looking as dangerous as ever.”

“Oh no!” Kara blurts out.

“Just then, when I think I’m going to be captured and brainwashed into being a slave to Hydra, or worse, the woman turns on her guards!” Jemma exclaims. “Using the two batons she was wielding, she easily beat them up!”

“This is too much for me,” Lena says, leaning back against the sofa.

“It turns out that this woman, this Hydra agent I’ve been so terrified of, is in fact one of SHIELD’s finest agents, just deep undercover,” Jemma says. “She’s simply incredible. Bobbi Morse is her name. She turns out to be so sweet and so caring, while also being an amazing hand-to-hand specialist and just an all-around badass. Plus, she has a degree in biochemistry, which is just the cherry on top.”

 Daisy can’t help but laugh.

“Simmons, your crush is showing,” Daisy teases. “Just a little.”

“I’m well aware,” Jemma says.

* * *

“I was stranded on an alien planet for, like, six months,” Jemma says. “That was just, y’know, wonderful.”

“Ooh, before I crash-landed on Earth, I was stuck in the Phantom Zone,” Kara says between bites of ice cream. “Also very unpleasant.”

“The what zone?” Daisy asks.

“The Phantom Zone,” Kara says. “It’s this region of space where time practically stands still and pretty much nothing can escape from it. My aunt and a bunch of prisoners were in there with me, too.”

“Your universe is weird,” Daisy says.

* * *

“And then we teamed up with this dude named Robbie Reyes,” Daisy says. “He was possessed by the spirit of vengeance and he had a flaming skull for a face and used a flaming chain for a weapon. Plus, he rode around in an old muscle car, and…”

“Are you making this up as you go along?” Alex asks.

“Nah, even I couldn’t come up with something this cool,” Daisy says. “So, anyway, his uncle turned out to be crazy and evil, and…”

* * *

The friends – or, at least, they’re starting to consider each other that – talk late into the night, all of them getting to know one another better. It’s only at Alex’s insistence that they rest up so they can continue the Lord case the next day that they eventually all decide to call it a night. Alex offers Kara a ride back home, but she insists on staying with Lena. Alex certainly can’t fault her for that, and cruises back to her apartment alone on her motorcycle.  

Jemma and Daisy retire to their guest bedroom, while Lena and Kara get ready to sleep in the master bedroom. Though they haven’t done this very often, Lena already feels so comfortable with sharing her most private space that she has with Kara. It just feels right, appropriate, for Kara to be here with her. She wonders what Kara thinks about this, about their casual intimacy that seems to extend beyond friendship, about the fact that they’ve now shared a bed and woke up tangled together in the sheets the next morning. A question about just that is on the very tip of Lena’s tongue, but it dies there, unable to make it past her lips.

“A penny for your thoughts?” Kara asks.

Lena realizes she has a second chance to ask Kara, to perhaps quiet the thoughts that are swirling in her mind, but once again she finds that she just can’t. Instead, she decides to switch gears entirely.

“What do you think of our extradimensional guests now?” Lena asks. “Now that we’ve spent more time with them.”

Kara smiles.

“I really like them both,” Kara says. “Daisy is such a fierce fighter and just so fearless in general. She also seems like a loyal friend.”

“I certainly can’t disagree with any of that,” Lena says. “Especially the ‘fierce fighter’ part.”

“Absolutely,” Kara says. “And then there’s Jemma. She’s sweet, caring, kind, and ridiculously smart. And that accent…”

Kara stops herself, looking guilty for gushing about their new friends so openly. It makes Lena want to laugh, though, since she doesn’t exactly disagree with anything she’s said, and she could sing their praises just as easily as Kara just has.

“Her accent is very charming,” Lena says. “You know, they’ve had every chance to let us down or just cut their losses and try to make it on their own. But they haven’t.”

“No, the definitely haven’t,” Kara says. “I called it right away, you know. Daisy leapt right into battle against that monster the moment she was transported here. Mark of a hero.”

Lena can’t help but laugh.

“Okay, yes, you were right,” Lena says. “Heroes, the both of them.”

* * *

At some ungodly hour, Lena wakes up for some unknown reason and finds that she can’t fall back asleep. After a few moments of tossing and turning, Lena gently slides out from beneath the covers (and one of Kara’s muscular arms) and makes her way out to the kitchen. She’s surprised to find the light already on and Daisy standing there, drinking a glass of water. Daisy is dressed simply to handle the warm National City night, wearing a tank-top and a pair of pajama shorts that show off her muscular, lithe body.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Lena asks, keeping her voice low to avoid disturbing their sleeping friends.

Daisy shakes her head.

“I’ve always had trouble sleeping,” Daisy says. “Too much swirling around in my head.”

Lena nods and makes her way into the kitchen, looking around for her kettle.

“I’m going to make some chamomile tea; would you like some?” Lena asks.

“Might as well,” Daisy says.

They fall into a brief silence. Lena is surprised by how comfortable she already feels around Daisy as well; how normal it seems to have her around. It does help, she supposes, that Daisy has already saved her life twice by now.

“Could I ask you something?” Lena asks.

“Yeah, of course,” Daisy says.

Lena pauses, trying to word what she’s about to ask in the most delicate way possible.

“Are you and Jemma friends?” Lena asks. “Or more than that?”

Daisy looks surprised at first, which Lena had expected, but her expression quickly morphs into something of a smile.

“Just friends, I guess,” Daisy says. “I think there have been at least a couple of times where we could’ve made our relationship something more, but now, I don’t know. Our shared history makes everything seem both easier and way, way harder.”

Daisy laughs, seemingly at herself, and runs a hand through her hair.

“I don’t think I’ve ever said that out loud,” Daisy says.

“It’s easy to say what’s on your mind at two in the morning,” Lena says.

“I guess so,” Daisy says.

They fall back into silence for a moment.

“Why do you ask?” Daisy asks.

“Out of curiosity, for one,” Lena says, and wonders if she’s going to regret what she’s about to say. “And because I find myself in a similar situation with Kara.”

“Yeah, that makes sense,” Daisy says.

Lena looks at her accusatorily, to which Daisy just laughs.

“What? I’ve seen the way you two look at one another,” Daisy says. “Neither of you are particularly subtle.”

Lena sighs.

“I suppose you’re right,” Lena says. “Kind of sad, isn’t it? I run one of the most powerful companies in the world and I can’t even find the words to tell Kara how I feel.”

“That’s completely understandable,” Daisy says. “I know how you feel. I’ve laughed in the face of terrorists and aliens and rogue AI programs, but I can’t just be open with Jemma.”  

Lena laughs.

“A shame we can’t just get together,” Lena says. “And cut past all of that.”  

“Yeah, a shame,” Daisy says, an unreadable expression on her face.  

Just then, the tea kettle begins to whine, and Lena moves past Daisy to lift it off the hot stovetop.

“You can’t talk to Kara, but you can sweettalk me like that,” Daisy says. “You’re a mysterious one, Lena.”

“Oh, shush, and drink your tea,” Lena says. “I was just joking.”

Lena slides the steaming hot mug over to Daisy. Daisy studies Lena carefully for a moment and comes to the conclusion that she wasn’t entirely joking. Or perhaps that’s just wishful thinking.

“I’m going back to my room. Thanks for the tea,” Daisy says, raising her mug. “Good night, Lena.”

“Sleep well, Daisy,” Lena says.

She stays there in the kitchen for a while longer, sipping her chamomile tea until it turns unpleasantly cold, and finally she heads back to her room. Kara is half-awake, having been awoken by the sound of their voices. She hadn’t heard all of the conversation, just the tail-end of it, and she’s not quite sure what to make of it.

* * *

While everyone is working on finding where Lord is hiding out these days, Kara decides to try and work at CatCo for the day. James swears that he doesn’t mind, but Kara knows that it’s hard on him to have an employee like herself who takes whole days off because of her other “job” as Supergirl. To that end, though, she quickly flies back to her apartment to pick up her laptop and a few files she needs for work.

Though it really hasn’t been that long, it feels like weeks since she’s been back at her apartment. Kara looks up at the weathered brick exterior of her building, admiring the way it catches the morning light, before heading inside. She trudges up to her apartment and fishes her keys out of her pocket. She fumbles her keys, dropping them on the welcome mat outside of her front door.

“C’mon, Kara,” she mutters under her breath.

A headache is beginning to form, pressure building up behind her eyes, and she wonders what it’s from. Probably stressed out about Lena and the whole Maxwell Lord thing. She tries to ignore it as she unlocks the door to her apartment.

But, it’s unlocked already. Kara narrows her eyes as she tries to remember if she locked her door before she last left. She’s certain that she did – Alex has drilled that habit into her head by this point, especially since she keeps a spare Supergirl suit and other such sensitive items hidden in her bedroom. There’s just no way that she would’ve left the door unlocked.

Kara uses her x-ray vision to see through the door. She can see someone standing inside, but they’re wearing a lead-lined mask to hide their identity from her. Taking a deep breath, Kara wraps her hand around the doorknob and steps inside. Nobody’s ever accused her of not tackling threats head-on.

“Who are you?” Kara asks. “What are you doing here?”

The man in question turns around. He has an uncomfortably dead-eyed expression on his face, and in his right hand, he’s holding a glowing, green rock.

In his left? A glowing, red rock.

* * *

“Now that you’re technically DEO agents, I want to give you these,” Alex says.

She hands an ID card and an earpiece to both Jemma and Daisy.

“Basically, all of the paperwork I had a great time doing this morning refers to you as ‘special consultants,’’ Alex says. “But, in practice you’ll be just like any of the other agents around here. You’ll have access to most of the base with those ID cards, you’ll be able to requisition certain pieces of equipment, and you’ll be able to officially take part in our missions.”

“Thanks, boss,” Daisy says, grinning at Alex as she slides the earpiece into her ear.

Jemma just sighs.

“I’m glad you’re taking this so seriously,” Alex says sardonically. “Anyway, you’re officially a part of Operation Kingslayer. Congratulations.”

“Sweet,” Daisy says. “Hey, are we getting paid for this?”  

Alex resists the urge to roll her eyes.

“Actually, you do get paid for this,” Alex says. “You’ll receive a one-time payment at the completion of the mission.”

“Do we get benefits?” Daisy asks. “I have a chronic condition where my powers literally shake my bones apart if I used them too much.”

Daisy grins cheekily at her.  

“Oh my god,” Alex says. “Just get to work.”

* * *

Once Daisy and Jemma make it to L-Corp, their earpieces crackle to life.

“Testing, testing,” Alex says. “These things should have great long-range capabilities, but I just want to make sure they’re working properly.”

“Loud and clear,” Daisy says.

“They seem to be working perfectly,” Jemma says.

“Great,” Alex says. “Feel free to contact me…”

“Anytime I need to hear a friendly voice?” Daisy asks.

“Definitely not,” Alex says. “If you have something important to report on the case, or if you need backup.”

“Fine,” Daisy says. “You’re no fun.”

“Proudly,” Alex says. “I’ll talk to you both later.”

The line goes dead.

“Must you antagonize Alex?” Jemma asks.

“I can’t help it,” Daisy says. “It’s just so much fun.”

* * *

Daisy’s sitting in the office Lena has set up for them, tapping idly at her computer. So far, all she’s learned about Maxwell Lord’s location is that he obscures his IP address by pinging it all around the world, so that’s wonderful. She even resorts to looking at baseless online speculation as to where he is for a few minutes until the inanity of it all gets to her. With a deep sigh, she stands up and starts pacing about the room.

It’s then that she notices some commotion happening in the office. There seems to be something going on at street level, if the faint sounds of car alarms all going off at once means anything, and everyone seems to be gathering at one side of the building, peering out the windows to observe something going on below. Daisy instincts immediately switch into high gear and she puts her hand on the grip of her handgun.

“Jemma, go check on Lena,” Daisy says.

“On it,” Jemma says.

Jemma draws her weapon and makes her way to Lena’s office, on the opposite side of the building from where everyone is gathering. Daisy makes her way to the windows that everyone is so intent on gazing out of.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Daisy asks some of the office workers around her.

“Not sure,” one says.

“Just look,” another says, pointing down at the street below them.

Daisy presses up against the window and looks down, to see Kara dressed in her full Supergirl regalia, marching down the street towards the building. Not the strangest sight in the world, until she sees the path of destruction behind her. The asphalt in her wake has been torn to shreds, and cars that were parked along the street have been crushed and flipped over.

“What the hell?” Daisy asks.

Just then, Kara seems to look directly into Daisy’s eyes. The force of her gaze is so intense that Daisy has to prevent herself from flinching. She clenches her fists instead.

“Daisy Johnson!” Kara calls out, her voice reverberating at an inhumanly volume. Must be another one of her powers. “Get down here! If you don’t, it won’t just be cars that I crush!”

“That doesn’t seem good,” Daisy says to herself.

“Daisy!”

Daisy turns to see Lena rushing towards her, with Jemma not far behind.

“Do you know what’s happening?” Daisy asks.

“I’m not one-hundred percent sure,” Lena says. “But I think this might be a case of Red Kryptonite poisoning. It’s happened to Kara before.”  

“Red Kryptonite?” Jemma echoes.

“Yes. It affects Kryptonians on a psychological level,” Lena says. “It strengthens their negative thoughts and feelings, while lowering their inhibitions.”

“Sounds nasty,” Daisy says.

“It is,” Lena says. “We need to be careful around her.”

Lena is putting on a brave face, but Daisy can see the way her hands shake. It must be hard for her to see her best friend like this.

“Daisy!” Kara’s voice cuts through their conversation.

“Shit,” Daisy says beneath her breath. “Well, I better not keep her waiting.”

Before she turns to leave, though, Lena grabs her arm.

“Are you sure about this?” Lena asks. “I know you have powers, but Supergirl is, well, Supergirl. If things get violent, well…”

“I know, but it doesn’t sound like she’s messing around down there,” Daisy says. “I have to do this. But, I’m not going in completely half-cocked. Jemma, I want you to call Alex. Explain the situation and tell her that Sam needs to get here right away.”

“Got it,” Jemma says, already pressing her finger to her earpiece.

Daisy exhales. Facing down a pissed-off, inhibition-free Kara seems like a suicide mission, but she also doesn’t want to leave her down there to continue smashing up the city. Besides, it’s only Daisy that she wants, for whatever reason. She clenches her fists, ready for whatever it is that’s about to happen.

* * *

Daisy steps out onto the street, facing down Kara. Though she’s keeping her distance, even from where she’s standing she can see the change in Kara’s expression. There’s an intensity, a ferocity to her gaze that certainly wasn’t there before. Daisy checks that her gauntlets are on properly.

“Daisy!” her earpiece crackles to life, with Alex on the other end. “You don’t have to do this. Just wait and we will take care of this.”

“I can’t just sit and wait,” Daisy says. “Someone has to do something.”

The line is eerily silent for a heartbeat too long. Daisy clenches her fists once again out of reflex.

“I thought you might say something like that,” Alex says. “Sam is three minutes out, and I’ll be there with a whole team of DEO agents. Stay safe, Daisy.”

“No promises,” she says. “Daisy out.”  

Daisy takes a few steps forward, still staring Kara down.

“Hey, Supergirl,” Daisy says. “You wanted to talk to me?”

“I do,” Kara says. There’s a sneer to her voice now, one that sends shivers down Daisy’s spine. “I don’t like you, Daisy.”

“That sure didn’t seem like the case before,” Daisy says. “Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?”

“I know you only want to stall because you know I can crush you like an insect the moment I feel like it,” Kara says. “But, fine. We can talk.”

“I’ll be a little harder to handle than that,” Daisy says, taking a few steps forward and trying to stay confident. “But yeah, let’s talk.”

“I don’t like you, Daisy,” Kara repeats. “I don’t like you being so ‘friendly’ with Lena.”

Daisy narrows her eyes. Of all the directions she expected this confrontation to go in, that definitely wasn’t one of them. Even after everything she and Lena had been through, and even after some of the things that they discussed, Daisy never thought it would bother Kara on any level.

“Excuse me?” Daisy asks.

“Oh, don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about,” Kara says. “I can see the glances you send Lena’s way. The way you leap directly into harm’s way to protect her. I even overheard your conversation from last night.”

Daisy feels like every nerve in her body sparks on fire in one instant. Her heartrate picks up and she has to force herself not to do anything stupid.

“C’mon, Supergirl,” Daisy says. “There’s no need for this. It didn’t mean anything.”

“Actually, I think I need this more than anything else,” Kara says. “Lena is mine. Don’t you forget that.”

Daisy clenches her fists involuntarily. She knows that the Red Kryptonite is affecting Kara’s mind, but hearing that come out of sweet Kara Danvers’ mouth – it’s discomforting, to say the very least.

“Think about what you’re saying,” Daisy says. “What would Lena think of all this?”

“I really don’t care,” Kara says. “And I’m done talking.”

 _Shit_. As much as she’s trying to pump herself full of bluster, Daisy doesn’t actually want to face down an angry Supergirl.

“I could stand to talk a little longer,” Daisy says.

But, Kara clearly isn’t listening to her any longer. She clenches her fists before flinging herself off the ground and she starts rocketing at Daisy. Daisy barely has time to react, but she does, throwing her hands up and letting loose waves of the most powerful vibrational waves she can muster in an attempt to slow Kara down.

And it works, to a certain extent; Kara’s speed is reduced to that of a healthy jog, her hair and cape whipping behind her like she’s caught in the world’s most powerful windstorm. Kara’s expression changes from one of fury to one of frustration, and Daisy feels the smallest spark of hope.

Daisy winces from the exertion, though. She hasn’t let loose with her powers like this in a long time and it’s merely slowing Kara down, not coming close to stopping her entirely. Still, she doesn’t need to beat her in a fight, just stall her until Sam and Alex can get here.

Now, Kara has stopped flying and is instead making her way towards Daisy, step-by-labored step, stomping her feet into the asphalt to anchor herself. The noise is disquieting, the intimidating, loud booms that crack the street below and yet are the smallest display of Kara’s power.  

Daisy winces as she amps up her power even higher. It feels like her breath is being squeezed right out of her chest and she doesn’t know how long she can keep this up. She’s never let her own personal safety stop her from doing anything, though, and she digs deep within herself and unleashes stronger and stronger waves of her power from her hands. She can feel vibrations coursing through every single bone in her body, threatening to churn them into a fine dust. The whole street behind Kara is being blown away: cars are flying in every direction, some slamming into buildings and others skidding across the asphalt, windows are exploding and sending glass shards against the street, and even the asphalt itself is being picked up in chunks and sent hurtling away.

Meanwhile, Kara is just getting closer and closer, holding her arms up in front of her face to block out some of the vibrations. Daisy doesn’t even think about what Kara is going to do when she reaches her. It’s not as if she can do much if the Kryptonian gets her hands on her. Has it been three minutes yet? To Daisy, it seems like an eternity has passed.

But, Kara is now mere paces from her, and the girl of steel reaches her hand out towards Daisy’s neck. Daisy’s eyes widen, and she moves her hands, energy still coursing through them, and reaches towards Kara’s outstretched forearm.

Unbidden, a scream rips its way out of Daisy’s throat, the exertion of using her powers almost too much for her. Beneath her, a latticework of bruises bloom across her arms and chest, her bones shattering from the extreme use of her powers.

But, she manages to grab hold of Kara’s forearm before Kara can wrap her fingers around her neck. Still, those fingers, each one more than enough to shatter human bones, are still making their way towards her. Daisy takes a deep breath and send waves of vibrations into her forearm. If Kara were human, Daisy would’ve pulverized her bones into a fine powder hundred times over by now. She’s Kryptonian, though, so Daisy has no such luck.

Naturally.

“You think you can stop me like this?” Kara asks, her voice low and menacing, distorted by the waves of vibrational energy coursing through the air. “Your powers are nothing compared to mine.”

“I don’t need to stop you,” Daisy says.

Just then, Daisy sees something streaking through the sky in the distance, too fast for it to be a bird or a plane.

“I just needed to stall,” Daisy says.

Before Kara can react, Sam is suddenly behind her, dressed in her full Blackbird regalia. She puts Kara in a choke hold, leaving the girl of steel clawing at her steely forearms.

Daisy wants to help, but exhaustion is quick to overtake her. She drops to one knee, trying to stay focused on the fight, but her injuries are too great. Her arms and torso somehow feel both numb and like they’re exploding with pain. Her vision fades, followed by her consciousness.  

* * *

“Kara! Stop this madness!” Sam shouts. “This isn’t you!”

“No, it isn’t,” Kara says. “But I remember this feeling. And I like it!”

Kara swings her elbow backwards, connecting with Sam’s midsection. This loosens Sam’s hold on her, and that’s all she needs to wrestle free. Kara shoots her heat vision right at Sam, but she’s too quick and dodges acrobatically out of the way.

“I don’t want to fight you,” Sam says.

“I don’t care what you want,” Kara says. “Worldkiller.”

Sam winces at hearing that word, that ugly name, but keeps her wits about her. Kara shoots her heat vision at her again, and Sam dodges again, but this time Kara takes advantage of that momentary opening and launches herself at Sam, grabbing hold of her midsection and flying her straight at the nearest building.

“I’m sorry!” Sam shouts.

Before they reach the building, Sam balls both of her hands into a fist and slams down onto Kara’s back. This is enough to dislodge Kara’s grip, and the two Kryptonians skid against the asphalt. Sam is the first to stand up, and she dusts herself off before dropping into a fighting stance and approaching Kara.

“Please don’t make me do this,” Sam says.

“Isn’t fighting and killing what you were designed for?” Kara asks. “You’re just a weapon. Reign.”

Sam clenches her jaw and tries her hardest not to get angry. This is still Kara. Her friend. Her mentor. And, of course, the object of Lena’s seemingly undying affection, so Sam can’t bring herself to just start beating her up. Especially not with memories of doing just that as reign are so fresh in her mind.  

Kara approaches her and sends a wild haymaker her way. Sam easily dodges it. Kara follows up by a couple of quick jabs with a spinning kick as an exclamation. Sam dodges the strikes and catches Kara’s heel after the kick, using that to flip Kara off-balance.

Kara just floats upwards, though, and shoots Sam with her heat vision once again. Sam returns the favor, shooting out beams of her own from her eyes, with just enough intensity to match Kara’s without overpowering them.

Kara stops with her heat vision and charges Sam yet again. Sam dodges her wild, angry punches and kicks, each one seemingly closer to land than the last. Finally, Sam slips up, just once, and Kara is able to catch her with a powerful left hook, sending Sam flying.

Sam just gets up, though, and stares Kara down.

“Why aren’t you fighting back?” Kara shouts at her. “Isn’t that what you were made for?”

“You have to stop this,” Sam says. “I’m not going to fight you.”

“So disappointing,” Kara says. “Coward!”

“I’m not going to fight you,” Sam repeats, emphasizing every word.

“I want – no, I need to fight you,” Kara says. “I need to beat you into the asphalt, just like you did to me.”

“Please, don’t do this,” Sam says. “This isn’t you.”

“Just like that wasn’t you?” Kara asks. “When you terrorized my city and beat me to a pulp? Don’t make me laugh, Reign. I’m not going to go easy on you. I know who you are, even if my sister doesn’t. I can’t believe you two.”

Sam clenches her fists at the mention of her relationship with Alex.

“Hurting me wasn’t enough for you, was it?” Kara taunts. “You had to seduce my sister, too? You’re nothing more than a –”

Before Kara can continue with her rant, and before Sam does something she might regret, a bright, red beam hits Kara in the back. She winces in pain before slumping over, unconscious, revealing Alex standing behind her. A red gas lifts off of Kara’s skin and dissipates harmlessly into the atmosphere.

Sam and Alex stare at one another for a moment, before running over to one another and embracing.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Alex murmurs.

“You too,” Sam says.

Sam is first to break the hug.

“I think Daisy might be injured, though,” she says. “I’m going to go check on her.”

“Got it,” Alex says. “I’ll take care of Supergirl.”

Sam uses her super-speed to reach where Daisy is lying on the street, unconscious, while Alex kneels by Kara. Lena and Jemma, as soon as they saw Kara go down, started heading downstairs, and now they’re sprinting towards Daisy.

“Oh, Kara,” Alex says, surveying the scene around them. “Who did this to you?”

* * *

Kara and Daisy are both brought back to the DEO headquarters and rushed to the infirmary. Jemma and Alex join them, being the two experts in medicine and biology, and are joined by the DEOs usual medical staff.

Jemma, fearing that Daisy might overuse her powers in this world, had already synthesized a batch of her quick bone-regrowth formula, and even a cursory examination of Daisy is enough to show that it’s needed. Even with her gauntlets, the intensity and duration with which she used her powers was enough to create microfractures in her arms all the way up to her shoulders and through her ribcage, evidenced by the latticework of bruising present. Jemma quickly inserts an IV into Daisy’s forearm and administers the bone-regrowth serum.

Meanwhile, there isn’t much Alex can do for Kara. They put her beneath some sunlamps, after which all they can do is wait. It’s an ugly scene.

Lena watches all of this happen from just outside the infirmary, terror splayed across her face.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> don't worry, everything is going to be fine
> 
> also, I'm super excited for basically all of the chapters I have planned until the end, so I hope you stick around! the end of this bad boy is going to be very avengers-esque


	7. king of nothing never

Daisy wakes up slowly and calmly; almost too calm, considering the fight she just had with Kara. Her mind feels slow and sluggish and it takes a few moments for her eyes to focus. She pushes herself up to her elbows and takes in her surroundings – slow as her mind feels, she’s quick to realize that she’s in the infirmary at the DEO headquarters. She looks down at herself, next. Someone changed her into a hospital gown at some point, an IV has been inserted into her arm, and faint yet still ugly, purplish-blue, latticework bruising is present on her arms.

Daisy sighs. She really did push herself too far. In the very back of her mind, during her fight with Kara, she remembers feeling the strain that her powers have on her body, the otherworldly, painful sensation of her bones being shaken to the point of fracturing in a million places. It sends an involuntary shiver down her spine.

To her right is Kara, set up on a hospital bed beneath a series of sun lamps. Daisy vaguely remembers being told, at some point, that Kryptonians derive their powers from the sun. Seeing her in this state makes Daisy wonder who managed to finally stop her – was it Sam? Or did Alex come through with the Kryptonite? Whatever the case may be, Daisy is thankful that Kara was stopped before she could do any more harm to the city – or to herself.

Kara looks oddly peaceful like this, in a deep slumber beneath the bright lights that simulate the sun’s powerful rays. It’s such a stark contrast to how she was when Daisy faced her down, her face contorted with arrogance and rage. Daisy, of course, was surprised to learn how much darkness Kara kept buried deep in her chest, those strange feelings of jealousy she held over the perceived closeness of Lena and Daisy.

Daisy doesn’t think she wants to unpack that revelation at all. Not right now, at least.

Suddenly, there’s the sound of voices and that of shoe soles squeaking against linoleum. Jemma bursts into the infirmary, a mixture of relief and joy and concern playing out across her face. Daisy smiles the moment she sees her, a process as automatic as breathing or the beating of her heart.  

“Daisy!” Jemma says. “You’re awake!”

Daisy chuckles as Jemma moves closer to hug her, then quickly decides against it, given the nature of Daisy’s injuries. She instead opts to sit on the edge of the bed, making sure to give Daisy plenty of space.

“I am,” Daisy says. “You weren’t worried, were you?”

“What, me worry?” Jemma asks. “Never.”

Daisy laughs some more until her ribs ache from the exertion, and she’s forced to relax and lie back down once again.

“Don’t make me laugh,” Daisy says. “It feels like all of my bones are broken.”

Jemma winces at that.

“Well, they sort of are,” Jemma says. “I mean, not every single bone, of course, but you have microfractures from your hands up to your shoulders, in your ribcage…”

“I don’t need the whole rundown,” Daisy says. “I can kind of feel it.”

“Sorry,” Jemma says.

“No, no need to apologize,” Daisy says. “I assume you’re the one who administered the bone-regrowth serum?”

“I did,” Jemma says. “I had to make it from scratch, too.”

Daisy smiles warmly at her and moves her hand to squeeze hers.

“My hero,” Daisy says. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You probably would be in a lot more pain after your missions,” Jemma says. “And you wouldn’t leap into dangerous situations so often.”

“That was a rhetorical question,” Daisy says, pouting.

It’s such an unusually adorable expression for Daisy that Jemma can’t help but laugh.

“I’m just teasing, Daisy,” Jemma says. “I know there’s no way to prevent you from leaping into action without completely changing who you are. I just know that I need to be there to patch you up when it’s all done.”

“Thank goodness for that,” Daisy says. “You’re way cheaper than normal healthcare.”

Jemma rolls her eyes fondly at her.

“Of course your humor would remain perfectly intact, of all things,” Jemma says.

Daisy is about to reply with an appropriately irreverent comment when she sees movement behind Jemma. It’s Kara, finally stirring from her slumber. She looks much more beleaguered than Daisy did upon waking up, with her bleary, unfocused eyes and slow, uncoordinated movements.

“She’s getting up,” Daisy says, nodding at Kara. “How long have we been out?”

“Not long,” Jemma says. “About twenty hours. It’s around six in the morning now.”

Kara continues to stir, though she hardly seems to have any idea of where she is. She reaches out for one of the sunlamps to steady herself, and she crushes it in her hand instead. Daisy and Jemma both wince at the shattering of the lightbulb and the squealing of metal.

“I’m going to go and get Alex,” Jemma says.

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” Daisy says.

Daisy continues to watch as Kara continues to wake up, looking like she’s just coming out of a week-long bender. Given the Red Kryptonite, though, that might be exactly what she’s feeling right now. Daisy’s unsure if she should say anything.

Finally, Kara manages to get herself propped up on her elbows. She slowly scans the room, until her gaze comes to rest upon Daisy, who smiles kindly at her. Guilt and shame, though, settle upon Kara’s face, and she looks like she wants to curl up within herself and disappear from view entirely.

“I didn’t…” Kara begins to stammer. “Your injuries.”

Daisy shakes her head.

“Self-inflicted, all of them,” Daisy says. “Overuse of my powers leads to, well, things breaking.”

“But, I made you use your powers,” Kara says. “I forced you to fight me.”

“You didn’t make me do anything, Kara,” Daisy says.

“No!” Kara says, with a forcefulness that surprises even her – but not Daisy. “The things I said, the things I did – I can hardly – I can’t…”

“Kara,” Daisy says, her voice soft yet enough to stop Kara in the middle of her rant. “I understand.”

“I get you’re trying to make me feel better, but you don’t,” Kara says with a finality that makes Daisy’s heart ache. “You can’t. Being on Red Kryptonite, it’s like…”

“Kara, just please stop,” Daisy says. “I understand.”

Daisy sighs loudly. She hates that she’s about to open up about this part of her life, to tear at those layers of scar tissue in her memory, but she knows that she needs to or Kara might hold these awful feelings over what happened until the day she dies.

“There’s something that happened in my time with SHIELD that I’m not proud of, and I don’t think I’ll ever be fully okay with it,” Daisy says. “Long story short, my mind was infected and possessed by an ancient Inhuman named Hive. This Hive was a parasite, a truly disgusting creature, and it just so happened to latch on to Grant Ward.”  

“No,” Kara blurts out. “The agent who betrayed you?”

“Yeah, the one who betrayed me and my team,” Daisy says. “Tried to kill us on multiple occasions, too, and nearly succeeded more than any of us were comfortable with.”

Kara looks like she’s about to be ill.

“The parasite took his face, his memories, and went after me and other Inhumans,” Daisy says. “The parasite had the ability to influence the minds of Inhumans, to bend them to its will. Being around Hive was like being on a drug. It was addictive, this power it had.”

Daisy swallows hard, trying to will away the tears that are threatening to spill out of the corners of her eyes.

“The parasite made me do horrible things,” Daisy says. “I betrayed my team. My friends. My family. I hurt them and destroyed the base we had made our home. I brought it all crumbling down, because it pleased me to do Hive’s bidding.”

Daisy stares down at her clasped hands, unable to meet Kara’s gaze.

“I couldn’t live with myself after that,” Daisy says. “That’s why I left the team for so long. I couldn’t bear to even look at them after what I had done.”

“But, none of that was your fault!” Kara is quick to say. “It was that parasite, Hive.”

Daisy manages a weak smile at Kara’s insistence on defending her from herself.

“I know,” Daisy says, looking back up at Kara. “It took me a long time to come around to that. And even then, it’s not really true. I had to take responsibility for what I did, too, since Hive’s power was very subtle. It wasn’t purely mind control, it was more like a constant bad influence, always whispering in your ears. It changed your mindset to the point that you couldn’t imagine saying no to Hive.”

“That sounds awful,” Kara says.

“It was,” Daisy says. “Working for Hive, and the months that followed, were the lowest moments of my life.”

“I’m so sorry, Daisy,” Kara says. “No one should have to go through that.”

“Thank you,” Daisy says. “And that’s exactly my point. You’re right – no one should have to go through that. No one should have to isolate themselves from their friends and family like I did. No one should beat themselves up and throw themselves into dangerous situations because they just don’t care anymore like I did.”

Daisy props herself up on her side so she can better look at Kara.

“Kara, please, don’t be too hard on yourself,” Daisy says. “I understand. And the others will too, in time. I’ll always have your back, because no one should go through what you just went through and be forced to carry on alone.”

Kara’s eyes are watery and Daisy’s starting to wonder if she’s maybe gone a little too far, but a smile starts to break out across Kara’s beautiful features. Daisy can’t help but smile in return and thinks about saying something more when Alex, with Jemma in tow, rushes into the room.

“Alex!” Kara says.

“Kara,” Alex says, like her name holds all the power in the universe.

Alex sweeps her sister up into a tight hug, squeezing her with all of her might.

“I’m so sorry that happened to you again,” Alex says, brushing an errant strand of hair away from Kara’s forehead. “How are you feeling?”

“I feel like I have the mother of all hangovers,” Kara says.

“And Daisy has been nice to you?” Alex asks.

“She’s been more than that,” Kara says, looking Daisy’s way. Daisy gives her a crooked smile in response.

“Good,” Alex says firmly.

“How’s everyone else doing?” Kara asks.

“Fine,” Alex says. “No one else was hurt.”

Kara sighs.

“No, I mean, how is everyone doing?” Kara repeats. “After – after what just happened?”

Alex swallows audibly and runs her hand through her hair.

“Kara, are you sure that…” Alex begins to say.

“I am,” Kara says firmly. “I need to know. Please, Alex. Don’t leave me to wonder if I’ve ruined my friendship with anyone.

Alex clearly feels uncomfortable, but she’s also not about to ignore a request that direct from her own sister.

“Lena is a little shaken, but I think she’ll move past it,” Alex says delicately.

Daisy sees that Kara turns a little pink at the mention of Lena but doesn’t say anything about it. Daisy’s just glad that the little exchange she had with Kara wasn’t heard by anything else. That’s something she’ll need to talk to Kara about when it’s only them in the room.

“And Sam?” Kara asks, her voice soft.

“Sam is – Sam is very tough, Kara,” Alex says.

“Tell me how she is,” Kara says. “Please.”

Alex exhales audibly.

“Kara, she’s – recovering from the whole Reign incident hasn’t been easy for her,” Alex says. “She’s made a lot of progress, and she’s been working really hard, but it’s just been hard. She still thinks a lot of what she did when Reign took over. Has nightmares, too.”

“Oh, Sam,” Kara says, her gaze downcast.

“She’ll come around, I promise,” Alex says. “It’ll just be hard, at first. You’ll have to talk to her, but maybe not right away.”

Kara just stares down at her hands for a few moments. Daisy wonders if she needs to talk to Sam about her experience with Hive, too.

“I understand,” Kara says. “I hate all of this, but I understand.”

“You’ll make it through,” Alex says, reaching out and squeezing her shoulder. “You did last time, and you can again.”

Kara just nods and says nothing more.

“Were you able to see who infected you with the Red Kryptonite?” Alex asks.

Kara shakes her head.

“They were wearing a lead-lined mask,” Kara says. “They used Green Kryptonite to weaken me, too.”

Alex folds her arms across her chest, displeased that someone would dare do this to her adoptive sister.

“We’ll figure this out, Kara,” Alex says. “I promise.”

* * *

As Daisy and Kara are still recovering in the DEO infirmary – though, of course, both of them want to return to the field – Jemma finds herself alone with Lena in her penthouse for the night. It’s strange; even though they’ve both been here for the same amount of time, she’s always felt like Daisy has been closer with Lena. That’s the effect that saving someone’s life a handful of times will have, Jemma supposes.

Dinner starts off as a mostly silent affair and Jemma runs through a list of conversation starters in her head though keeps running into thoughts of Daisy and Kara’s fight, which is the last thing that she figures they want to talk about.  

“They’re going to be okay, right?” Lena asks, though, to break the silence.

That almost makes Jemma want to laugh. At least she’s not the only one who can’t turn her thoughts away from their two friends.

“They are,” Jemma says. “If I understand Kryptonian physiology correctly then Kara should recover quickly. And then, my serum will help her bones to recover from their microfractures.”

“I’m glad they’re going to be okay physically, especially Daisy, but that’s not what I meant,” Lena says. “Is everyone going to be okay after Kara acted like – that?”

Jemma sighs.

“That’s a much more difficult question to answer,” Jemma says. “The way I understand it, the Red Kryptonite affects her brain’s chemistry, lowering inhibition and increasing fixation on negative thoughts. It’s out of her system now, but how people are going to feel after everything – well, I just don’t know.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Lena says. “I talked to Kara earlier today, when she was awake, and she seemed fine. But, I know she always likes to put on a brave face after something like that happens.”

“Same with Daisy,” Jemma says. “Idiots, that’s what they are.”

 Lena finally manages a weak chuckle.

“Brave idiots,” Lena agrees. “Brave, foolish idiots.”

“We have our hands full with them,” Jemma says.

“That we do,” Lena smiles.

* * *

Jemma’s bone-regrowth serum works better than ever before and it’s a mere twenty-four hours until Daisy is up and moving around again. She still hasn’t talked to Lena or Kara about the revelations made on the battlefield, though, and she’s not sure how to even begin to bring up that conversation. At the same time, though, Kara’s made no moves to talk to Sam, so Daisy figures that now isn’t the best time. Daisy dutifully returns to her role as Lena’s personal bodyguard, along with Jemma, while also still trying to figure out where Lord is hiding out before the trail runs cold.

“Daisy, you need to take a break,” Jemma says, setting a mug of tea by her computer. “You’re not going to accomplish much by staring at that screen all day.”

“I’m a hacker, Jemma,” Daisy says. “That’s kind of what I do.”

Jemma rolls her eyes as Daisy takes a slow, leisurely sip of her tea. As she’s doing that, something flashes up on her screen, and Daisy nearly spits out her mouthful of beverage. She just manages to get some stuck in her windpipe, though, which sends her into a coughing fit.

“Heavens, what is it?” Jemma asks.

“I think I found something,” Daisy says, between coughs. “Come look.”

Jemma leans in and looks at the screen for just a moment before her eyes widen.

“Yup, my trace actually found something,” Daisy says. “And, look at this.”

Daisy taps a couple of keys on her computer.

“We finally found reliable electricity-use data,” Daisy says. “If we put that together, we get…”

“Lord’s location,” Jemma completes the thought. “Wait, it looks like he’s been using a lot of electricity. What for?”

Daisy shrugs.

“Who knows? Dude seems like a crazy rich person, from everything everyone’s said. Could be for anything,” Daisy says. “I’ll call this in to Alex and we’ll figure out what to do next.”

* * *

After Daisy briefs her, Alex calls an emergency DEO meeting. Everyone makes it in save for Jemma, who elects to stay with Lena at L-Corp and listen in remotely. Kara and Sam are both there, but they consciously choose to stand on opposite sides of the room and decidedly not make any eye contact with one another. It’s not very subtle, since even some of the peripheral DEO agents pick up on the tension, but they both seem to be sticking to their guns. Alex ignores them as she starts the meeting.

“We have Lord’s location,” Alex says, always one to cut directly to the chase. “Thanks to Daisy’s hard work, of course.”

Daisy gets a few nods of approval and a clap on the back.

“We need to move quickly,” Alex says. “We believe that Lord is still at his current location, and we want to grab him before he can move again. This is priority number one, people.”

Alex pauses for a moment to let that sink in.

“Unfortunately, and annoyingly, Lord is smart,” Alex says. “We’ll need to play this extremely carefully. We can also assume that he’s secured his house against Kryptonians – I expect lead-lining in the walls and roof, Kryptonite in every room, and probably even more goodies that he’s invented.”

Alex looks over at Kara, then at Sam.

“That means our Kryptonians are on backup duty only,” Alex says. “No arguments. I need high-level operatives, trained in stealth, who are willing to take this on. This isn’t going to be some simple target extraction. Lord is dangerous.”

“I’ll do it,” Daisy says.

“Daisy, you’re still recovering from your injuries,” Alex says. “I can’t put you out there.”

“No, not recovering,” Daisy says. “Recovered. I can do this.”

“Daisy,” Alex says.

“Come on, after everything Lord’s done? I’m going,” Daisy says. “Besides, there’s no way that Lord isn’t the guy who ordered that Red Kryptonite be put in Kara’s system. I’m itching to take him down.”

Kara doesn’t want to be too obvious about it, but she can’t help but let a small smile of gratitude break out across her face.

“Does anyone else want to go in?” Alex asks.

“I’ll go,” Jemma says. “I have the same SHIELD training that Daisy does.”

“I’m in, too,” Vasquez says, a wry smile on her face. “I can’t let these out-of-towners take all the glory.”  

“We’ll need someone to watch Lena, though,” Jemma says.

“Okay, we have our team,” Alex says. “I’ll send Sam and a team of DEO agents to watch Lena. Lucy and I will be leading the mission here in HQ. I want three four-person fireteams waiting in backup in case something goes wrong, along with our two Kryptonians. Alright, people, let’s get to work.”

* * *

“Ready to go out in the field?” Daisy asks.

She finishes strapping Jemma’s bulletproof vest on and pats her on the back.

“Of course,” Jemma says. “I don’t mind mixing up serums and protecting Lena, but I wouldn’t mind some action. Can’t let you have all the glory.”

Daisy grins at her.

“Yeah, nobody wants that,” Daisy says.

Daisy grabs one of Jemma’s newly-3D-printed ICERs and turns it over in her hand, feeling the weight and balance of the non-lethal firearm.

“These work just the same as they do back home?” Daisy asks.

“Better,” Jemma says. “Fitz and I were working on some upgrades on the old design. We’ve improved projectile speed while also lowering recoil. Should work like a dream.”

Jemma grabs one of her own and, with her finger off the trigger, aims down the sights before sliding it into her hip holster.

“Great,” Daisy says. “Let’s go hunting.”

* * *

Lord’s house is in a heavily-forested area far outside of National City. Their driver takes them as far as a half-mile outside of his compound, as going the rest of the way on foot is a significantly stealthier approach. They all triple-check their equipment, taking extra time with their night-vision goggles, before the SUV pulls away and they’re left on their own. Because of the sensitivity of the mission, they’re on strict radio silence to avoid the risk of Lord picking up on their communications.

The three agents make their way silently through the underbrush. Jemma has already sent out a drone to scout ahead and they’ve pored over the satellite maps that exist of the area in order to get familiar with the landscape. The drone updates their heads-up displays in real-time, alerting them to any traps or guards hiding in the woods. So far, so good.

Daisy can’t help but think of her many lessons from her mentor, May, on staying calm in high-pressure stealth situations. Keep your heartrate low. Breathe smoothly and steadily. Be observant. Keep your allies close.

Beside her, Jemma seems to be approaching the mission with an equal amount of professionalism. Her gaze constantly roams the trees around them, her hands are gripped tightly around her ICER, and her movements are sharp and efficient. Vasquez takes up the rear behind them, her DEO training serving her well.

They near the fenced-off perimeter of the compound and Daisy signals for them to stop. The drone has picked up on two guards who are holding a conversation as they lean against the fence. Daisy indicates that she’ll take the guy on the left and for Jemma to take the guy on the right. Jemma nods.

Daisy counts down from five with the fingers of her left hand, and at two she grips her ICER, aims, and fires. Jemma times her shot perfectly, and the two men crumple silently to the ground in nearly synchronized motion. They carry the two guards silently into the underbrush and leave them there before advancing on the fence.

The fencing itself is at least ten feet tall and made of heavy-duty iron. Which is, of course, no problem to them. As Daisy and Jemma keep guard, Vasquez kneels down by the fence and pulls out the DEO’s proprietary laser cutter. It slices through the iron with almost terrifying ease, and it’s not long before Vasquez is detaching the cut-off section and placing it silently on the grass.

Daisy goes through the opening first, followed by Jemma and Vasquez. They avoid the front door, of course, where three guards are standing watch, and instead loop around to one of the picture windows towards the back of the mansion. Daisy places a sensor against the window, which sends out a nearly-undetectable sonic pulse that maps the inside of the room with some clever echolocation technology. The results of the scan are sent to her HUD.

“Empty,” Daisy whispers.

Vasquez nods and slices through the glass of the window (which is locked, of course), using a suction cup to keep the cut-off section from falling inwards and shattering against the floor. That goes smoothly as well, and Vasquez reaches through the hole in the window to unlock it, giving them easy access to Lord’s hideout. The inside of the mansion is full of rich, mahogany textures, deeply-colored Persian rugs, and furniture that looks like it was taken directly out of an ancient, historied palace. The lighting inside is dim, doing little to combat the dark of the night.  

Daisy sets down a powerful heartbeat sensor that reveals that only one person is actually inside, in a room up on the third level. It must be Lord.

Just as silently as before, they make their way through the mansion, taking care to check their corners and scan their surroundings just in case their heartbeat sensor failed to pick anyone up. Daisy finds it harder and harder to keep her own heartrate under control as they make it up to the second floor, and by the time they reach the third it feels like May’s lessons are slipping out of her head from the stress.

Finally, they approach the room that Lord is hiding in. It’s at the end of a long hallway, one that seems to stretch on forever, even as they’re walking down it.

They reach the door, though, and stack up just outside of it. Daisy places another echolocation sensor against the door and scans the interior. It’s a surprisingly spacious room, with what appears to be bookshelves against the walls, an ornate-looking fireplace, and a desk set up in the corner. Someone seems to be sitting at the desk, someone who can only be Maxwell Lord.

Daisy reaches out and silently wraps her gloved hand around the doorknob, looking directly at Jemma, then at Vasquez. They both look more than ready to complete this mission.

Daisy nods and opens the door.

Jemma enters the room first, ICER drawn. Vasquez floods in after her, followed closely by Daisy herself.

Lord, who was simply sitting at his desk and working on his computer, looks up at them calmly, like he’s been expecting guests.

The three agents fan out, their ICERs pointed directly at Lord.

“Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise,” Lord says, leaning back in his ornate, leather desk chair. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“We’re bringing you in, Lord,” Daisy says. “We’ve connected you to a recent cyberattack on L-Corp servers, as well as to the recent attempts on Lena Luthor’s life. We also have reason to believe you conduced the Red Kryptonite attack against Supergirl.”

“Ah, yes. Tragic, of course, what’s happening with Ms. Luthor,” Lord says. “Though that’s what happens when you’re in the public eye like she is. And yes, Supergirl. Red Kryptonite is a tricky thing to prove in a court of law, though, its effects on Kryptonian physiology are not well understood.”

“This isn’t a conversation,” Daisy says. “Vasquez, cuff him.”

“Now, hold on,” Lord says, quickly standing up.

The three agents take a step back, their ICERs trained right at his chest.

“Just hold on,” Lord says. “What evidence do you have against me? I know my rights, you think you can just barge in here brandishing guns and god knows what else strapped to your utility belts and arrest me?”

“That’s exactly what the DEO has the authority to do,” Vasquez says. “There’s no need to make this any harder than it needs to be, Lord.”

“I will not be taken from my home like some common criminal,” Lord says. “You have nothing on me. Activate home defensive systems.”

Before the three of them can react, a panel in the ceiling slides open and a mounted gun appears from the opening, trained directly on them. It didn’t show up in the scan, which means that the compartment its housed in is somehow resistant to the sensor. Daisy narrows her eyes and tries to think of a way out of this mess.

“Now, if you’d kindly drop your weapons,” Lord says. “And we can talk this through like reasonable adults. This gun is designed to shoot anyone in this room who isn’t me, by the way, and responds only to my voice commands. So, don’t try anything.”

Daisy narrows her eyes at him but does as he asks, and Jemma and Vasquez follow suit. They kick their ICERs over to him, and as they do, Daisy raises her palms to the gun and sends forth waves of vibrational energy.

Except, nothing happens.

It takes a second for Lord to realize what’s happening, but once he does, he begins to laugh and clap sarcastically. Daisy tries again, and again, to no effect.

“Sorry about that,” Lord says, a smug smile on his face. “I’ve been studying your powers, Quake. I have a prototype nullifier for your powers hidden in this room. It seems to be working perfectly, don’t you think?”

Daisy glares furiously at him, and he just smiles that infuriatingly patronizing smile back at her.

“That’s better,” Lord says. “Now, what exactly are you accusing me of? Cyberattacks? Attempts on Ms. Luthor’s life?”

“And infecting Supergirl with Red Kryptonite,” Vasquez says. “Don’t forget about that.”

“Right, right, of course,” Lord says. “But, I don’t believe you have anything on me. Not really.”

Daisy can’t help but glance up at the mounted gun. A bead of sweat forms on her temple. Without her powers, this situation just became much more dangerous.  

“I bet I know what you think you have on me,” Lord says. “You managed to recover communications, right? Texts? That’ll never hold up. Everything can be faked these days, especially something as minor as communications over text. No one will ever believe you.”

Jemma takes a tentative step forward. The machinery of the gun whines slightly as it moves to aim at her. Daisy clenches her fists, the material of her gloves straining against her fingers.

“No, we have everything on you, Lord,” Jemma says. “Right down to your motivations.”

“Is that so?” Lord sneers.

“Of course,” Jemma says. “It’s all clear as day. You’re a violent, emotional, irrational man. You’ve been in hiding for all this time, stewing in your anger and frustration over Supergirl, how she’s thwarted you time and time again. So, you begin to lash out. Like you said – everyone wants a piece of Lena, and everyone knows her proximity with Supergirl and the alien population.”

Lord glares at her and Daisy can feel her heart start to pump rapidly in her chest. She trusts that Jemma knows what she’s doing, of course, but this whole situation is too tense.

Jemma, though, decides to keep pressing, even though Lord looks like he’s growing more and more furious with every word she says.

“You lash out at Lena, like the irrational man that you are,” Jemma says. “Your attacks are unplanned and sloppy. Breaking into her servers one day. Paying off her chauffer the next. Having your attack dogs show up at the restaurant she’s eating at the other. But, nothing was working. We kept stopping you. So, you had to turn one of us against the others, and you fell back on the last trick you had. Red Kryptonite.”

“What are you talking about?” Lord asks as he moves from behind his desk to stand right in front of Jemma, his face mere inches from hers. “You don’t know anything.”

Just then, a thought strikes Daisy. Her training. Maybe, if she can produce vibrations at a level beyond what Lord’s device can nullify, she can destroy or at least deactivate the gun. Daisy tries to focus, subtly opening her palms as she attempts to create vibrations at a level she never has before. Maybe, even after all of the frustration and failure, her training has meant something after all. It’ll all be worth it if she could save everyone right here.

“One last, desperate move, the only thing you could think of,” Jemma says. “In a final fit of rage, you catch Supergirl unaware and blast her with Red Kryptonite, escaping before she can catch you like she’s done so many times before.”

“You’re wrong!” Lord says. “It was all planned, from the start.”

Lord’s voice has leapt up in volume and he moves in even closer to Jemma, who begins to look fearful. Daisy tries and tries, but she still can’t seem to do anything with her powers.

“All was planned,” Lord says. “Disrupt the peaceful order of things in National City by funding extremist anti-alien groups. Arm them with L-Corp’s own weapons. Take down Lena Luthor, who has amassed far too much power. And then, finally, once the city begins to tear itself apart, I tear down its greatest protector by setting her against the only other Kryptonian around. Not a move of desperation and anger, but the pièce de résistance of my entire plan!”

Lord’s voice grows louder and louder as he moves through the steps of his chaotic master plan, even jabbing at Jemma’s sternum to make his points. Jemma’s eyes are wide with fear and it makes Daisy want to tear Lord’s slimy head right off his body. Or, even better, quake his bones into dust.

“And then you swoop in amongst the chaos,” Jemma says, sounding both fearful and awed all at once. “Take control. Re-establish yourself to the population of National City.”

Lord smirks down at her. Daisy is close to panicking, but her powers are failing her entirely. Even with all of the training she’s done, she can’t seem to produce vibrations on the level that Jemma thinks that she can. Helplessness grows in her gut like an infection.

“Exactly right,” Lord says. “Maybe you’re not completely hopeless.”

Jemma continues looking at him, frightened, until her expression morphs completely into that of a confident smile.

“Thank you for confessing,” Jemma says before tapping her body camera. “Smile. You’re on camera.”

Lord’s face goes through a half-dozen expressions, ranging from confusion to shock to pure anger. His face finally twists into an ugly, predatory grin.

“Well, none of that matters,” Lord says. “Since you aren’t making it out of here alive.”

“Sorry, did I not explain myself? That was streamed live back to DEO HQ,” Jemma says. “And I agree. We aren’t making it out of here alive.”

“You little…” Lord begins to say.

Before Lord can give the voice command for the gun to fire on the three agents, Jemma raises her hand up. In her fist she’s clutching a metal cylinder. Everyone takes a step back.

“This is a grenade, though I’m sure we all know that,” Jemma says. “Still feel safe, Lord?”  

“You wouldn’t,” Lord says. “You need me alive.”

“Try me,” Jemma says. “I’ll give you five seconds to let us out of here. If not, I’ll drop this at my feet and blow us all into tiny pieces.”

“Jemma,” Daisy says tentatively.

Jemma just gives her a look that screams _trust me_ , and Daisy lets her go through with her plan.

“You don’t have the guts,” Lord says.

“Is that something you’re willing to bet your life on?” Jemma asks.

Lord and Jemma stare at one another, stuck in a battle of wills. Daisy and Vasquez just watch on, bewildered by the turn this encounter has taken.

“You’re bluffing,” Lord says. “I know you are.”

There’s a long, deeply uncomfortable silence. Daisy once again tries to use her powers, in desperation, but still can’t manage anything.

“I am,” Jemma says. “But I have an even better plan up my sleeve.”

Jemma opens her hand.

“Daisy, grab Lord!” Jemma shouts just as she drops the grenade. “Vasquez, down!”

Daisy acts without thinking and rushes towards Lord.

The whole world seems to shift into slow motion.

Daisy can see it happen right in front of her. The grenade clatters against the ground.

Daisy winces.

At exactly the same time, though, Lord whole body stiffens and shakes violently, like electricity is coursing through his body.

The explosion never comes.

Lord, though, crumples and falls right into Daisy’s waiting arms.

The gun whirrs to life and aims at the three agents, but with Lord’s body draped against Daisy’s, it can’t fire and risk harming him.

Daisy feels like her heart is going to pound straight through her ribcage.

“What?” Daisy finally blurts out. “How?”

“I’ll explain later,” Jemma says. “We have to get out of here before any of the guards notice us.”

Right on cue, though, the door is slammed open, and who’s there but seemingly Lord’s entire squad of personal guards. Vasquez swears beneath her breath. Daisy, though, thinking quickly, presses the barrel of her ICER right against Lord’s temple. The guards certainly don’t know that the weapon is non-lethal.

“Nobody move,” Daisy says. “Or I’m going to vaporize your boss’s head. You got that?”

The guards look at one another uneasily, before one of them, seemingly who’s in charge, gingerly lowers his weapon to the ground. The rest of them follow suit.

The guards part before them as Daisy begins to walk down the long hallway, dragging Lord along with her, her ICER still pressed to his head. Jemma and Vasquez follow behind, making sure that none of the guards try anything stupid.

They make their way down to the front door, their hearts pounding in their chests, and manage to leave the compound entirely with no further complications.

Daisy hoists Lord up into a fireman’s carry, and with her enhanced strength, carries him with no problems out to the extraction point, where a black DEO SUV is waiting for them.

Once they’re at the SUV, they ziptie Lord’s wrists and ankles together and place a black bag over his head. They stash him in the trunk. Daisy can’t help but feel a little smug about that. Daisy breaks radio silence and informs Alex that they have Lord in custody. Alex orders the fire teams to move on the compound, and Daisy and co. can see them advancing through the trees as they drive away. The FBI is notified as well, and they’re quick to move in once the fire teams have secured the area.  

* * *

After a few minutes on the road, Daisy can finally feel her nerves subsiding. She feels like she can breathe properly now and her heartrate no longer feels dangerous fast. Vasquez and Jemma both look like they’re calming down as well.

“Holy shit,” Vasquez says, still looking utterly stunned by everything that just happened.

“You can say that again,” Daisy says. “Okay, Jemma, can you explain how you did – whatever it is you did?”

“Well, there were a couple layers to my plan,” Jemma says. “But, I did basically make everything up as I went along.”

“That makes me feel great,” Vasquez says.

“We did get out of there alive,” Daisy says. “I’m definitely not complaining about that.”

“Exactly,” Jemma says. “So, the first thing I did was insult Lord’s plan, to throw him off balance. As I kept talking, though, I realized if I demeaned his intelligence and cleverness enough, his ego would force him to correct me and explain his plan in full. So, I began recording him as he was ranting.”

“Wait, the main goal of your plan wasn’t to get him to confess?” Daisy asks.

Jemma shakes her head.

“That was more of a happy accident,” Jemma says. “No, I just wanted to keep talking to stall and keep him off-balance. But, not only did he confess, he got so angry and distracted that I was able to place one of these on him.”

Jemma opens a pouch on her body armor and pulls out what appears to be a small, thin, metal disk.

“Oh man, you’re tricky,” Daisy says, unable to keep herself from grinning.

“I can’t believe you pulled that off,” Vasquez says, voice full of disbelief.

“I did,” Jemma says. “I managed to slip one of these nifty paralysis devices into his pocket. I knew it would still work on him, even through his clothes.”

“I knew that wasn’t a grenade you were holding,” Daisy says. “It was the dead man’s switch for those devices.”

“It was,” Jemma says. “When I pressed down on the button, it primed the device. When I let go, the device was activated.”

“You just made that all up as you went along?” Vasquez asks.

Jemma just shrugs as if to say, ‘yeah, basically.’ Vasquez just shakes her head, amazed.

“Don’t mess with Jemma,” Daisy says. “She’s definitely smarter than you are.”

Jemma just grins at her. Daisy returns the gesture, though not quite as fully. Her amazement over Jemma’s quick thinking is almost enough to distract her from her failure to use her powers. Almost.

* * *

Daisy, Jemma, and Vasquez make it back to headquarters without a hitch. As soon as they step inside, someone begins clapping. Before long, everyone gathered is applauding them, Alex included. Daisy grins at her, and she just nods in response, though a smile eventually makes its way to her face as well.

Everyone seems to be gathered in the DEO headquarters, including Lena. Sam must’ve flown her in. Daisy meets Lena’s gaze, and her smile falters, ever so slightly. The fight with Kara and the words they exchanged are still fresh in her mind, even after the mission to extract Lord.

They throw Lord in a secure cell and Alex orders that two guards be posted just outside the door to make sure nothing happens, even though the device Jemma used should keep him incapacitated for at least twelve to twenty-four hours. Even with the perfect confession they got from Jemma, they still need to do their due diligence and interrogate him. But, any attempts to revive him after the device has affected him are risky at best, so Alex decides to just wait it out.

* * *

Though it’s getting late – it’s just past midnight – Alex decides that everyone needs the chance to celebrate and blow off some steam, so she invites everyone to join her and Sam at the alien bar. Daisy, Jemma, and Vasquez, the heroes of the day, are quick to agree. Lena decides to come as well, which is enough to also convince Kara to come, even though she’s still uncomfortable around Sam. So, naturally, she gets Winn and James to come, too.

Lucy declines, though, figuring someone should be around to watch the DEO HQ in case Lord has anything else up his sleeve. She promises, though, that she’ll definitely make it to the next outing, and that she’ll pay. That’s more than enough to placate Alex.

* * *

The alcohol flows like water, especially since Lena has promised to pay for anything. Alex, more than happy to be the instigator tonight, starts everyone out with two rounds of shots and lets everyone go crazy after that. Vasquez and Daisy both decide to match Jemma’s drink of choice, so they all end up with pints of Guinness. The night is already off to a good start.

“Here’s to all of you!” Lena says. “I can’t express how much safer I feel now that Lord is safely locked away. So, thank you!”

Everyone cheers. It’s going to be a good night.

* * *

Daisy, already more than buzzed, interrupts whatever conversation everyone else has been having in order to get Jemma to tell the story of how she bested Lord. It takes nearly three times as long to tell it here than it did in the SUV on the way back to DEO HQ, since everyone gasps dramatically to every new development and Daisy constantly finds moments to interrupt and shower Jemma with lavish praise. Jemma keeps blushing throughout, both from all of the attention and from Daisy expounding on Jemma’s boundless intelligence.

“She’s National City’s biggest hero!” Daisy proclaims, her arm slung around Jemma’s shoulder.

“She’s my biggest hero!” Lena says, already buzzed, and she slides her arm around Jemma’s lower back.

“I will gladly give you that title!” Kara says. “Lord is a pain, to say the least.”

“I’m so glad you got that confession out of him,” Alex says. “That should land him in jail for a long time. So, most importantly, Lena is safe.”

“Hey, new people in the group, did you know that Alex had to go out on a date with him?” Sam asks, clearly buzzed on whatever caustic, alien alcohol she’s drinking.

Alex groans.

“I did not know that,” Daisy says, delighted and horrified by this revelation. “I don’t think I’ll ever be happy again unless I hear that story.”

“Do I have to?” Alex asks. “It was official DEO business, I promise.”

“You know, I havn’t heard the full story myself,” Lena says. “Kara just told me that it happened, not any of the specifics.”

“Really, Kara?” Alex asks. “Can you keep anything a secret from Lena?”

“Hey! I kept you-know-what a secret for a long time!” Kara says.

“Yes, if you ignore the fact that I knew almost right away,” Lena says. “Kara, sweetheart, you disappear anytime an emergency happens in the city, you once said you flew to my office on a bus – oh, and the biggest piece of evidence: you have the curious habit of talking directly to my chest. I definitely picked up on that.”

Kara blushes bright red and doesn’t say anything more. Everyone laughs.

“Alright, fine,” Alex says. “I guess I can’t let Kara be the only humiliated person at this table. So, like I said, my date with Lord was official business…”

* * *

The group splits up and reforms throughout the bar – some people go off to play pool, some go to sing karaoke, others just stay seated and drink and swap stories. Kara finds herself leaning against the bar by herself, drink in hand, not quite sure what she wants to do.

Out of the corner of her eye she can see someone slide in next to her. She turns to see that it’s Daisy, who’s getting yet another refill on her pint of beer.

“Come here often, Danvers?” Daisy asks.

Kara smiles weakly back at her.

“Often enough,” Kara says.

The usually-chatty Kara falls into silence after that, and Daisy studies her for a moment. Without a smile on her face, Kara’s expression looks surprisingly forlorn and faraway.

“What’s on your mind?” Daisy asks.

Kara shrugs, though Daisy can tell she knows exactly what’s bothering her.

“I don’t know,” Kara says. “All of the Red Kryptonite business, I guess.”

“Yeah, can’t blame you,” Daisy says. “Have you talked to Sam yet?”

Kara shakes her head. Daisy follows her gaze and finds that it’s upon Alex and Sam, who’re playing pool together. Sam says something that makes Alex laugh, her eyes crinkling with delight.

“I don’t know how to even begin,” Kara says. “I said some awful things. I reminded her of her ugly past with Reign. I even mocked her relationship with Alex. My own sister!”

Kara rubs the bridge of her nose.

“It’s just too much,” Kara says. “She’s been avoiding me, too, not that I can blame her.”

“It’ll take time,” Daisy says. “I don’t know if you can fix this all in one go.”

“Yeah, I agree,” Kara says.

They pair is silent for a moment.

“Hey, actually, could we talk?” Daisy asks, her voice coming out more tentatively than she had hoped. “You said some things about me and – and Lena.”

Kara sighs.

“Yeah, I did,” she says. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“I understand,” Daisy says. “You don’t think there’s something between me and Lena, do you?”

Kara doesn’t answer right away. As curious as Daisy is, part of her doesn’t even want to hear the answer, since she herself has a hard time examining the way she feels about Lena. It’s different the way she feels about Jemma, certainly, since her relationship with Lena lacks the weight of history and the absolute, undying trust and understanding she shares with Jemma. But, though the relationship is new, Daisy knows she feels differently about Lena than how she does Kara. Kara is a kindred spirit, a fierce warrior, but Lena is simply different. Different in a good way, though.

“I mean, I guess part of me does,” Kara says, finally, breaking Kara from her thoughts. “It just has to be. The things I say on Red Kryptonite don’t just come out of nowhere, they’re all thoughts I bury way deep down in my head.”

“Kara, you need to just tell her how you feel,” Daisy says. “It’s never going to get any easier the longer you wait. Trust me, I know.”

“You do?” Kara asks curiously.

Daisy nods, her gaze falling upon Jemma, who’s talking to Winn and James and laughing at something someone said.

“I figured,” Kara says, understanding. “Maybe you should take your own advice.”

Daisy laughs.

“I should,” Daisy says. “Easier said than done, girl of steel.”

“It really is,” Kara says.

They fall silent for a moment, both of them looking at the women they care about so much that they lack the words to express those feelings.

“If you make a joke about us shacking up to make things easier, I’m going to hit you,” Daisy says. “I know you overheard at least that part of the conversation I had with Lena.”

Daisy’s extremely relieved that Kara laughs rather than just taking her head off with her super strength.

“Don’t worry,” Kara says. “You’re way attractive, don’t get me wrong, but I’m just not even going to go there.”

“Your loss, hot stuff,” Daisy says.

She smacks Kara on the butt before walking away. Kara yelps and glares accusatorily at her, but she’s long gone by that point.

* * *

“I don’t think that would work,” Lena says, her speech now very clearly slurred.

“Neither did I!” Jemma says, her voice loud like she’s on a phone call with bad reception. “But, I was able to basically hijack the body’s own systems to supercharge the osteoblasts to increase lamellar bone deposition!”

“That’s incredible,” Lena says. “I never would have thought to do that.”

“Well, I had plenty of trials,” Jemma says. “Daisy breaks her bones constantly.”

Jemma talks about it like Daisy’s microfractures are just a minor inconvenience, and it’s enough to make Lena giggle.

“My goodness,” Lena says. “You’re a mad scientist, aren’t you?”

“Proudly,” Jemma says, smiling.

“How much money do I have to pay you to stay in National City as L-Corp’s chief biological sciences advisor?” Lena asks. “I’m very serious, Ms. Simmons.”

“Are you propositioning me, Lena?” Jemma asks. “I know at least two people who would be disappointed about that.”

Lena looks deeply offended by that.

“How dare you,” Lena says. “This is a serious business transaction.”

“I appreciate the offer, but Daisy and I do really need to go back home,” Jemma says. “Though I’m sure you’d pay me more per year than I’ve earned at all my other jobs combined.”

“I’d double that!” Lena says, before pouting dramatically. “I don’t want you and Daisy to leave. I’m terrible, I’m selfish, I know. But, I just know I’m going to miss you when I’m gone.”

“Oh, I’m going to miss you, too,” Jemma says. “I’m going to miss everyone I’ve met here.”

“See! You should just stay,” Lena says, drunkenly throwing her arm around Jemma’s shoulders. “We’ll just send Supergirl over to your dimension every month to stop all the bad guys you have. It’s perfect.”

Jemma laughs.

“I’ll take it under consideration,” Jemma says.

* * *

Daisy somehow finds herself alone, despite being in a bar surrounded by her friends and other amiable faces. She’s sitting in a booth, nursing yet another pint of beer (she’s forgotten when she even got a refill, and she’s definitely forgotten how many she’s had altogether). Slowly, she scans the bar, trying to see where everyone is.

Alex and Sam have excused themselves, one after another, and they’re probably making out somewhere just outside the bar. Gross. Kara and Winn are drawing something on James, who has long since passed out and is now going to be waking up with a very dashing sharpie moustache. Lena and Vasquez are both talking to the bartender as they order more drinks, and Jemma – where is Jemma?

Just as that thought crosses her mind, she seems to appear right in front of her and slide into the booth. Man, if Daisy just knew she could manifest Jemma out of thin air like that, she’d have done it a long time ago.

“I feel like I’ve seen you staring morosely off into the distance more than I’ve seen you drinking and celebrating,” Jemma says. “What’s wrong?”

“More than I thought,” Daisy says, grinning wryly at her. “Drama with Kara. And with Lena. And then there’s the mission itself.”

“The mission was a huge success,” Jemma says. “What’s bothering you about that?”

Daisy sighs.

“It’s not the mission, exactly,” Daisy says. “Look, when we were facing Lord, I tried to use my powers against the nullifier. I figured his device was only blocking vibrations up to a certain range, and if I could just go beyond that…”

“Oh, Daisy, please don’t beat yourself up over that,” Jemma says, reaching over and squeezing her hand. “None of us were fully prepared for Lord.”

“I was just thinking that if I can’t even get around his stupid nullifier, how am I going to use my powers to get us home?” Daisy asks. “What if we’re just stuck here forever?”

Jemma is silent as she mulls over her next few words. She knows the waters she’s about to broach are risky, but she’s drunk enough that she doesn’t really care.

“Would that be so bad?” Jemma asks softly. “Yes, yes, I know. But we’re clearly doing some good for National City. I like pretty much everyone we’ve met, and I’m pretty sure they feel the same way about us. And, you have to admit, it feels pretty safe here with two Kryptonians around, especially since they can call in two more for backup.”

“Our friends, Jemma. Our team,” Daisy says. “I’m sure they’re going crazy over our disappearance. Do you think any of them have stopped working on a solution to get us back? Do you think Fitz is sleeping easy knowing you’ve once again disappeared? Or Coulson?”

“I’m sorry,” Jemma sighs. “It was just a thought. I really hate knowing our friends are worrying about us. I just – I don’t want you to torture yourself over this.”

Daisy nods and scoots closer, wrapping Jemma up in her arms.

“I’m sorry, too,” Daisy says. “I know you don’t want me to worry so much about this. And I like it here, too. I’ll miss everyone when we’re back home.”

Jemma rests her head against Daisy’s shoulder and they stay like that for a long while, feeling comforted by their closeness.

* * *

That night, in the safety of Lena’s penthouse, Jemma and Daisy sleep together in the single bed they’ve become so comfortable sharing. Kara tries to insist on using the other guest bedroom, but Lena isn’t hearing any of it, and they end up sharing the master bedroom. They all fall asleep, feeling safer than they ever have before.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! This was another fun one to write
> 
> (Also, SuperQuake is a thing, right? Also, what would Lena and Jemma's ship name be?)
> 
> Also, I can't even begin to describe how insane the next chapter is going to be


	8. you'll be taken down brick by brick by brick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a fight music playlist if you want something to listen to during the action scenes: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1UhukS1OWCYgN5jdBqRPVp
> 
> I tried to include a variety of genres so you can just skip stuff you don't like

Daisy wakes up much less gracefully than she fell asleep, her limbs splayed out and with light falling directly on her face through the curtains they forgot to close last night. Jemma’s hair is in her mouth, and she sputters and awkwardly tries to brush it away. That’s enough to wake Jemma up, who groans and rubs her eyes, trying to get them to focus.

Daisy eventually manages to swing her legs over the side of the bed and stand up, and when she does, the weight of her hangover seems to hit her all at once. It feels like Kara has just punched her right in her face. She groans and leans against the nearby wall.

“I agree,” Jemma says, her voice husky from dehydration and her general lack of quality sleep. “Oh god, I sound like I’ve been possessed by a demon.”

“Kinda hot, actually,” Daisy says.

Jemma laughs.

“Since you’re in such a complimentary mood, tell me – how do I look?” Jemma asks.

Daisy turns to look at her and has to stifle her laughter. Jemma’s hair has taken on a life of its own, with so much volume that it looks like she’s been hit by a surge of electricity. Though she tried taking her makeup off last night, she was clearly either too tired or too drunk, or both, since there are still smears of random cosmetics across her face.

“I don’t think you’ve ever looked better,” Daisy says. “Honest.”

“Excellent,” Jemma says. “I think I’ll just show up to L-Corp like this.”

“You’ll be a hit,” Daisy says. “True fashion icon.”

Before Daisy can tease Jemma anymore, she hears her phone buzzing. She searches all throughout the room for it until she finally finds it hanging halfway out of the back pocket of the jeans she wore last night. She picks it up to see that Alex has just called and left her a message.

“What is it?” Jemma asks.

“She’s calling everyone in to the DEO,” Daisy says. “Lord is awake. The interrogation is beginning.”

If there’s a better hangover cure than news like that, neither of them know what it would be.

* * *

Daisy and Jemma, along with Kara and Lena, who are already awake and ready, make their way over to the DEO headquarters as quickly as they can. The ride is silent and tense, and even Daisy finds herself white-knuckling the steering wheel even when the car isn’t moving.

The atmosphere in the car is reflected in the DEO entire. Nobody seems to be doing much talking and everyone’s posture seems to be stiff and rigid. Alex herself seems to be especially tightly-wound.

“Vasquez is in there with him already,” Alex says. “There are no cameras in that room. We’ll have to wait until she’s done until we can learn anything.”

Daisy nods, folding her arms across her chest. She doesn’t like this. They caught Lord, got his confession, and have him locked up in one of the most secure prisons on the planet.

So why does this not feel like the end?

* * *

When Vasquez leaves his cell, everyone gathers around her, curious as to what she may have learned. She has a troubled look on her normally stoic face. Certainly not a good sign.  

“What is it?” Alex asks.

Vasquez takes her time to answer, seeming like she’s trying to get all of her thoughts in order.

“I don’t know,” Vasquez finally says. “I think he’s lost it completely. Just keeps repeating a few phrases.”

“Phrases?” Lucy echoes.

Vasquez nods.

“Yeah, he said stuff like, ‘check the computer,’” Vasquez says. “‘This is the true plan.’ And, ‘they’re coming.’”

That’s enough to send shivers down everyone’s spines. Daisy folds her arms tightly across her chest. She hates it when her instincts are right.

“What does that mean?” Jemma asks.

“‘Check the computer,’” Alex repeats, thinking out loud. “I’m going to call…”

Almost right as she pulls her phone out, it buzzes. She quickly checks what she’s been sent, and her eyes widen.

“What is it?” Kara asks, clearly concerned.

“The FBI says Lord’s computer just activated on its own in their evidence lockup,” Alex says.

Alex turns her phone around for everyone to see. On it is a picture one of the FBI agents took of Lord’s computer screen, glowing eerily in the otherwise poorly-lit evidence lockup. Displayed on the screen is a window with just this text on it: “MESSAGE SENT. Begin the invasion.”

Everyone starts talking at once, the word “invasion” echoing across the room.

* * *

“My Queen,” a heavily-armored man says, kneeling in front of the great throne.

“Rise,” the Queen speaks. “And speak.”

The man slowly rises to his feet. He stands at six feet tall, the effect of his height enhanced by the elaborate armor he wears.

“It’s time,” the man says.

“Is it?” the Queen asks. “Have their champions been cast aside?”

“The message would not have been sent if they haven’t,” the man says. “That was the deal.”

“Indeed,” the Queen says. “We’ll see if we can truly trust this man you found. It’s time. Ready the fleet. We will waste no time.”

“My Queen,” the man says, bowing before her, before swiftly walking off.

As soon as the preparations are complete, the Queen makes her way into the control room of her fleet’s greatest warship. Her warriors kneel before her as she passes.

Standing on a pedestal in the center of the circular control room is a small, familiar-looking black cube. With a smile on her face, she reaches out and places her hand upon the cube. It crackles with energy, and she can feel some of it surging through her.

Suddenly, all becomes white.

And the great fleet is there no more.

* * *

As they’re trying to decipher Lord’s strange rambling and the cryptic message on his computer, a DEO agent runs up to them. His eyes are wide, his hands trembling.

“Ma’am, you’re going to want to see this,” he says, his voice unsteady.

He types a few commands into his computer and brings up a news feed to the main screen in the HQ. All eyes turn to the screen, and the temperature in the room seems to drop down to nothing immediately. Daisy feels like she’s frozen in place, unable to tear her eyes away from what she’s seeing. Panic grips her. It’s like New York, 2012, all over again.

“Is this live?” Alex asks, bewildered.

“Yes, ma’am,” the agent says.

The images on the screen are stunning. A news helicopter is streaming footage of what appears to be three alien dreadnaughts, suspended in the sky amongst the clouds that float above National City. The dreadnaughts are massive, so much so that it’s hard for the helicopter’s mounted camera to truly capture the scale of them. The news feed then switches over to footage from ground-level, showing how the alien ships have cast the entire city in shadows. They ships don’t seem to be doing anything, at least yet, which means they still have some time to respond.

“Maybe they’re friendly,” Kara offers.

Almost right on cue, a great beam of light appears from one of the ships, shining down on the street beneath it. When the light fades, soldiers wearing heavy, intimidating armor and brandishing hand-to-hand weapons of all types. Kara can’t believe what she’s saying, and she reflexively takes a step back.

“Daxamites,” is all she says.

The whole room is silent. Daisy and Jemma, despite not knowing who or what “Daxamites” are, can hear the unease in Kara’s tone of voice. Their hearts pound in their chest.

“Shit,” Alex finally says.

She takes a deep breath.

“Okay, I want lines of communication open with everyone,” she begins barking orders. “The army, the navy, hell, see if you can’t get the president on the line. You know what I mean. We need to coordinate. I want all combat-ready agents dressed and out on the streets right now! Use the new ICERS!”  

Everyone leaps into action.

“And, for the love of god,” Alex says, capturing everyone’s attention once again. “Would someone please call Astra?”

Kara grins at the mention of her aunt.

Daisy and Jemma start making their way to the armory amongst the surge of bodies, until they see Lena getting their attention.

“Daisy, follow me!” Lena shouts. “Kara and Sam, you too!”

Daisy looks at Jemma for a moment, hesitating.

“I’ll meet you in the vehicle hangar,” Jemma says. “Go!”

Daisy nods and follows after Lena. Eventually, they all converge on the DEO’s R&D lab.

“What is it, Lena?” Daisy asks.

“I knew this day would come, when you’d have to face a threat this big,” Lena says. “So, I’ve taken the liberty of designing you all new suits.”

There are three sleek, metallic pods standing up against one wall of the lab. Lena goes up to each of them and presses her hand against them. There’s a built-in scanner that reads her handprint, and the fronts of the pods swing open like petals of a blooming flower to reveal the brand-new suits hidden within.

Daisy’s suit hardly looks like something that can be worn. With its angular, jet-black armor plating, it looks more like a stealth jet than anything else. There are no adornments to the suit save for a short cape that looks like it’s made out of some synthetic, space-age fabric. The gauntlets are sleeker than any Daisy’s worn before, and they look just as futuristic as the rest of the suit does. Lena notices her staring at them and walks over to demonstrate.

“I made some changes to your gauntlet design,” Lena says. “To give you some options.”

Lena presses one button, and metal bars slide over the knuckle region of both gauntlets.

“In case you get into a fist-fight, as I know you like to,” Lena says. “And…”

She presses another button, and blades slide out of the gauntlets.

“I may have invented a new type of steel to make these,” Lena says. “Also, just in case, these blades can be charged with Kryptonite, Lead, and about a half-dozen other substances.”

“Lead?” Daisy echoes.

“Especially dangerous to the Daxamites,” Lena says. “Now, for you two, I haven’t quite finished your suits yet. I have to put the finishing touches on the Kryptonite resistance system, and then I’ll bring these out to you.”

“Kryptonite resistance?” Kara asks. “Finally!”

Lena laughs.

“Yes, I thought that would be well-received,” Lena says. “You two can take a look at them now, though.”

Kara’s new suit has been done in darker, more serious shades of navy blue and crimson than before, and the armor-weave fabric is tougher and more heavy-duty than ever before. The glorious House of El symbol remains emblazoned on the front in red and gold, the mere sight of it enough to make Kara smile. The biggest difference, then, is that the skirt has been ditched in favor of more protective, form-fitting pants, complete with tall, armored boots that go up to her knees.

“Lena, wow,” Kara says, running her fingertips over the surface of the armor. “Amazing.”

Sam’s suit, per her requests, still bears some passing resemblance to the suit Reign wore. The armor plating of the suit is much sleeker, though, and there’s no crest emblazoned on the suit’s chest. There are gold elements running throughout the suit, too, making it clear that this is Reign no longer. Completing the suit is a long, dramatic, black cape.

“Now that’s more like it,” Sam says, grinning.

“Now, go,” Lena says. “I need to finish these suits, and you three need to save the city.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Daisy says.

* * *

As promised, Jemma is waiting in the DEO’s vehicle hangar for Daisy to arrive. They both do almost comical double-takes as they see one another suited up for combat. Jemma, at Alex’s behest, has donned one of the DEO’s exoskeleton suits. Though she’s not much one for fighting, in a situation like this, she figures she’s a good enough shot to help out, and she can provide on-site medical assistance. Daisy, of course, looks like she’s just stepped out of the future, given Lena’s gifted suit.

“You know what? I’ll save the comments for later,” Daisy says. “I want a picture of you in that thing, though.”

“Right, I’m sure it’s very flattering,” Jemma says.

They make their way to the lead vehicle, where Alex is waving them over. Now, it’s even better that they called Lucy in, since she’s coordinating the DEO’s efforts from HQ, while Alex is taking on a more active leadership role out in the field. Alex, like Jemma, is wearing a protective, mechanized exoskeleton suit.

“Okay, Daisy,” Alex says. “Besides the Kryptonians, you’re my heaviest hitter. I want you out there in the front, doing what you do best. Jemma, you’re my most-skilled medical officer. Stay in the fight, but your priority will be to assist the wounded.”

“Sounds good to me,” Daisy says. “I’m always happy to knock some heads around.”

“Right, and I can focus on healing,” Jemma says. “What can you tell us about these Daxamites?”

“They’re like Kryptonians, just weaker and slower,” Alex says. “They’re a lot meaner, though, and they’re not shy about showing it.”

“And they’re weak to lead?” Daisy asks.

Alex nods.

“We can seed the atmosphere with lead,” Alex says. “That’s what we did the last time they tried invading, but obviously that affects us regular old humans, too. So, we’re saving that little trick until last.”

“They’ve invaded before?” Daisy asks.

“They have,” Alex says. “We stopped them once and we can do it again. Alright, we’re rolling out now. You two ready?”

They both nod.

“Then get in,” Alex says. “We have an invasion to stop.”

The doors of the hangar slide open. Black SUVs, Humvees, and other armored vehicles roll out, while their helicopters take to the sky. Beside them, Kara and Sam lift upwards, off the ground, and streak through the sky towards National City.

* * *

During the drive to downtown National City, Daisy and Jemma watch a live newsfeed on a tablet while Alex listens to the conversations going on between Lucy and the nearby military base. The footage the news is getting is incredible, between the Daxamite dreadnaughts above and the troops below. Daisy still can’t quite comprehend how this is all real, despite the Chitauri invasion on New York.

“Wait, turn this up,” Jemma says as a newscaster begins to speak.

“…and, eyewitnesses report that these alien vessels appeared in, and I quote, ‘a bright flash of white light,’” the newscaster says. “Hold on, it appears we’re getting an emergency report…”

Daisy turns to Jemma, stunned.

“You heard that, right?” Daisy asks.

“I did,” Jemma says. “A bright flash of light. That sounds very familiar.”

“What are you two talking about?” Vasquez, who’s driving their vehicle, asks.

“That’s how we arrived here,” Daisy says. “In a flash of light.”

“And how that creature arrived here,” Jemma says. “That all seems so long ago.”

“It does,” Daisy says. “I don’t like this, Jemma. I really don’t like this.”

“Neither do I.”

* * *

They finally reach the street where the Daxamite soldiers have touched down. The police have already set up barriers blocking the street, staying a safe distance away from the invaders who, at least, don’t seem to be doing anything yet. It’s eerie, though, the way the soldiers just stand there in formation, not visibly reacting to the presence of the police or, now, the arrival of the DEO.

Alex gets out of the SUV and looks out at them, her jaw set. Though she’s projecting a confident exterior for her fellow DEO agents, she knows that this isn’t going to be easy. The Daxamites, while not as intimidating as Kryptonians, are no pushovers.

As Daisy steps out of the car, she looks skyward to see Kara and Sam circling above the soldiers. A small smile makes its way to her face. It’s nice to know that they have two nigh-indestructible warriors on their side. Even with them, though, they all know that they’re in for a hell of a fight.

* * *

“Look!” the Queen says. “The Kryptonians remain! Our man on the inside has failed.”

Both of her fists are balled up in rage as she watches, from the command room of her ship, Sam and Kara circling in the sky.

“Then why has he called us here?” the same heavily-armored man from before asks, rage in his voice. “What is he playing at?”

“I don’t know,” the Queen says. “Find him. Kill him, if the mood strikes. But get answers.”

“Of course,” the man says.

The man exits the control room and walks to the dreadnaught hangers. He gets into one of the many single-person fighter jets, activates it, and flies off into the bright National City sky. The tracking device they implanted in Lord is still active, and he intends on following that signal to the source.

* * *

Kara and Sam both see the jet streaking out from the dreadnaught. Though they don’t know who’s inside, they both know it won’t do any good just letting them leave.

“Sam, go!” Kara says. “I can handle things here.”

Sam nods, and speeds off, all hard feelings between them temporarily forgotten. With her powers she gains on the jet, seeing the fumes of its engines grow closer and closer until they’re buffeting against her face.

As she looks down at the ground, speeding past below her, she gets a sense of where she is. They’re heading to the DEO headquarters. She clenches her fists and pushes herself to go even faster.

* * *

Back in National City, the Daxamite soldiers still haven’t moved, and neither has the DEO or the police. The army is still minutes out, and though Alex doesn’t want to wait around that long, she’s received orders from the very top to stay put and not engage until the enemy makes a move. She doesn’t like it, letting the Daxamites stand and try to look intimidating while they plot whatever they’re plotting up in those dreadnaughts.

Just as Alex is weighing the pros and cons of ignoring her commands and just levelling the Daxamites under a hail of ICER blasts, another beam of light radiates from the lead dreadnaught down onto the asphalt. Alex winces, shielding her eyes until the light dissipates.

And, standing right where the light once was, right in the heart of National City, is Queen Rhea.

Up above, Kara snarls in rage and speeds to the ground, the asphalt cracking beneath her feet as she touches down. Her hands are balled up into tight fists, and she looks seconds away from blasting Rhea with her heat vision.

“Supergirl, stand down!” Alex shouts.

Kara turns around to quickly glare at Alex, but the red glow in her eyes dissipates.

“Hello, Supergirl,” Rhea says mockingly. “What a pleasure it is to see you again.”

“Shut up,” Kara says. “What are you doing here? I thought you were dead.”

“Nearly,” Rhea says. “I almost succumbed to the lead in the atmosphere, true.”

“We should’ve pumped more into the air,” Kara says.

“Tone it down, hero of National City,” Rhea mocks. “Anger isn’t a good look on you. But, I’ll admit, you did almost get me. I was able to use a prototype teleportation device to escape at the last moment.”

Kara can’t help but look stunned.

“What, do you think my body just disintegrated?” Rhea asks. “This isn’t one of your comic books, Supergirl.”

“What are you doing back here, then?” Kara asks. “Did you forget that we repelled your invasion before?”

“No, I remember that quite well,” Rhea says. “I was ruined after that. Betrayed by my own son and flung back out into the galaxy. It took me a long time to get my footing after that.”

“What did you do?” Kara asks.

“I sought methods to regain my strength and status in the galaxy,” Rhea says, beginning to pace back and forth. “I scrounged around on backwater planets and made deals with inferior species. It took me years, but I finally found what I was looking for. An ancient artifact of unimaginable power, one that let me transport myself through dimensions and through time itself. All of that power held within a little black cube.”

Kara furrows her brow.

“A black cube?” Kara echoes.

“That’s right,” Rhea says. “It was my salvation, and it will be your doom. It allowed me to travel to a parallel universe, where I quickly assumed command of the Daxamite fleet there, even larger than the one I had before. It allowed me to regain old allies. And now, Supergirl, I will complete my revenge!”

Rhea pulls out a Kryptonite dagger. Before she can attack Kara, though, it gets blown out of her hand. Rhea looks past Kara to see Daisy standing there, her hand raised.

“Attack!” Rhea shouts.

The Daxamite soldiers finally spring into action, rushing out towards the police barriers. Kara growls and launches herself at Rhea, before flying the both of them up into the sky. And Daisy, never one to shy away from a fight, leaps up into the air and brings her fist slamming down onto the asphalt, creating a shockwave that craters the street below her and takes nearly all of the Daxamite soldiers off their feet.

“Now!” Alex shouts.

The DEO agents open fire. Jemma’s updated ICER design is more powerful than ever, being enough to drop even a Daxamite in full armor with a handful of well-placed shots. Alex grins. Thank goodness for the Agents of SHIELD.

* * *

Sam has nearly caught up with the jet. She stretches her hand out, almost able to grab at the back tail fin and spin the aircraft out of control, when the cockpit slides open and the pilot leaps out, plummeting towards the ground – right at the hidden DEO HQ. The armored Daxamite throws something up at her and she tries to dodge out of the way, but the object explodes as it gets close to her, expelling a sickly green mist into the air. She can feel the first effects of Kryptonite poisoning, though with her innate resistance, she can power through its worst effects.  

When she finally gets her bearings again, the man has already touched down and has used another explosive to gain access to HQ. Sam readies herself and shoots straights down, heading through the new opening in the ground.

The explosive managed to hit right above the command center, which is in scrambles. Sam quickly scans the area – agents are injured, but none seriously, and none seem to be dead. Lucy catches her attention.

“Blackbird, he went towards the prisoner lockup!” Lucy shouts.

Sam nods and uses her super-speed to catch up to him. The scene that greets her stops her in her tracks. The armored Daxamite has his hand around Maxwell Lord’s throat, and is lifting him into the air, his feet dangling above the ground.

“Why did you call for us to invade if the Kryptonians weren’t taken care of?” he shouts, his voice distorted by the mask he’s wearing.

“What difference does it make?” Lord rasps, his face turning red. “You can handle two Kryptonians, can’t you?”

“You fool!” the armored Daxamite shouts, tightening his grip on Lord’s next. “At least tell us where your Kryptonian weapons are!”

“In the…” Lord groans, feebly trying to pry the Daxamite’s hands away from his throat. “In the cache, just as we promised. Weapons and ammo.”

“You better not be lying,” the Daxamite says.

“Stop!” Sam shouts. “Put him down.”

The Daxamite growls and tosses Lord to the ground, where he lands with an uncomfortable crunch.

“Stay out of this, Worldkiller,” he says. “This isn’t your fight.”

Sam winces at the name, as much as she doesn’t want to show any weakness in front of her enemy.

“You’re invading my home,” Sam says. “This is exactly my fight.”

Sam, though the Reign personality has been excised from her, is still a formidable, terrifying fighter. She uses her super-speed to close the distance to the Daxamite and tags him with two lightning-quick jabs to the gut which she follows up with an uppercut that nearly lands perfectly, had he not jerked his head out of the way at the last moment. She dodges one of his wild haymakers and catches the other, using his momentum against him to smash his entire body through the heavy, thick concrete wall of the cell. His momentum carries him through to the wall on the other side of the cell, which he lands against hard, leaving a crater in his wake.

He pulls out a Kryptonite dagger, and Sam winces at the sight of it. She dodges his first two swipes with his dagger, but not the third, and it catches her upper arm and slices all the way through her suit. The proximity to the Kryptonite is making her feel less powerful and less coordinated, and she knows she needs to finish this fast.

She telegraphs her heat vision, causing him to dodge one way, and she kicks right where she thinks he’ll be. She catches him with a booted foot right at his sternum, and he goes flying backwards. He bounces along the ground, his helmet flying off the in the process. It skids across the ground with a metallic screech, before stopping against a nearby wall. Sam towers over him, and he gets up slowly, revealing his face for the first time.

Sam’s eyes widen and she takes a step back in shock. Kara’s not going to like this.

“Mon-El,” Sam says. “What the hell are you doing?”  

* * *

The scene in National City is pure chaos. The only silver lining that Alex sees is that the Daxamites have limited Kryptonite-based weaponry – Rhea has her dagger, of course, and she sees that the apparent captains amongst the soldiers are brandishing Kryptonite swords. Still, Alex isn’t thrilled that they’re getting into a full-on ground war with an alien race in the middle of National City. The Daxamites seem to relish the destruction they’re wreaking upon the city, though. Bastards.

Daisy, though, seems right at home fighting the aliens. Alex only now realizes the extend of Daisy’s enhanced strength and durability. She sees her no-sell a punch to the face from a tall, heavily-armored Daxamite, and respond with a punch of her own that nearly sends the soldier to his knees. Daisy, though, always willing to help someone out, lands a perfect spinning kick to his face that finishes the job.

* * *

Daisy knows she has her flaws, her weaknesses. She’s headstrong and stubborn, always willing to leap far before she looks. She’s both arrogant and self-hating all at once. She’s a mediocre leader at best. She knows all of this. She’s not great at everything.

But, getting into an all-out brawl with a bunch of wannabe conquerors? Oh, she can do this all day long.

She presses the button Lena showed her on her gauntlets, activating the reinforcement across her knuckles. With a devilish grin on her face, she dodges a couple of poorly-timed swipes from a Kryptonite sword. The Daxamite who’s wielding the weapon glowers at her and jabs the sword directly at her. She dodges, grabs the end of the sword in her hand (the armor that Lena designed is no joke), and shatters the blade with a single punch. The Daxamite looks stunned. Always one to take advantage, Daisy spins, catching him with one of her elbows, and finishes him off by spinning once again and landing a devastating kick right on his head.

Daisy glances around the battlefield, getting her bearings once again.

“Quake!” Vasquez shouts. “Little help?”

Daisy sees her, along with a few other DEO agents, getting pinned down against a ruined, blown-out storefront. Using her powers, Daisy rockets herself up in the air, and as she’s falling, cocks her fist back between her head. She torques her whole body to slam her fist against the ground as gravity finally catches up with her, using her powers to demolish the street beneath her, the resulting shockwaves sending the Daxamites flying.

Daisy stands up again and brushes herself off, grinning at Vasquez.

“Duck!” Vasquez shouts.

Daisy simply reacts, and Vasquez shoots right where her head just was. Daisy stands back up to see a Daxamite soldier crumpling to the ground behind her.

“Thanks!” Daisy shouts back.

* * *

Up above, Kara has Queen Rhea grasped firmly in her hands and is flying at breakneck speeds through the National City skyline, taking the time to smash her against the tops of buildings for effect. Kara takes her higher and higher as well as outside of city, flying out over the ocean. Kara fully plans on spiking her directly into the water, but Rhea manages to force one of her arms out of her grasp. Before she can react, Rhea jams the heel of her palm against Kara’s nose. Being Kryptonian, the action doesn’t break her nose, but it’s enough to surprise her long enough for Rhea to grab a Kryptonite grenade.

“This is going to hurt you a lot more than it’s going to hurt me,” Rhea says.

Rhea activates the grenade and holds it right next to Kara’s exposed face. Kara pushes her away, but it’s too late. The grenade goes off barely a foot away from her, expelling noxious Kryptonite fumes right into her face. Kara spins, trying to cover her face with her cape, but it’s too late. She can feel her strength waning, and she begins to lose her ability to fly, sending her arcing towards the water. She clenches her fists and tries to will herself to just fly, but it’s just not working.

She arcs down towards the ocean. She’s able to fly in short spurts, but that’s not enough to prevent her from quickly losing altitude. It’s a windy day in National City, and the crests of the waves are white and chaotic.

Just as she’s about to slam into the dark, choppy waves, she feels strong arms around her midsection and the sensation of flight returns to her. She looks up to see long, brunette hair being tossed about by the wind, a single, white streak amongst the strands, a black suit, and familiar, friendly eyes.

“Aunt Astra!” Kara manages to say.

“I’m here, little one,” Astra says.

Astra deposits Kara on the shoreline, waiting for her to regain her strength. Kara leans over, her hands on her knees, as she tries to catch her breath. Rhea is nowhere to be seen.

“How’s the arctic ice?” Kara asks.

“Terrible,” Astra says plainly. “How’s the situation here?”

“Oh, you know,” Kara says. “Daxamite invasion. The usual.”

“The Daxamites are just so charming,” Astra says, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Are you feeling better?”

Kara nods and adjusts the gloves of her suit.

“As good as I’ll ever,” Kara says. “Let’s go.”

Astra nods, and the two Kryptonians rocket off into the sky, back towards downtown National City.

* * *

Mon-El glares at Sam, his eyes burning with rage. Mon-El looks old, older even than the time he returned to National City with Imra by his side. The lines in his face look deeper, more pronounced, his beard has grown out, shaggy and unkempt, with flecks of grey in it.

“Are you the Mon-El from this dimension?” Sam asks, testing the waters.

Mon-El scowls at her.

“I’m not going to give you my whole life history,” he growls.

This time, he catches Sam by surprise. He lobs a Kryptonite grenade directly at her, and she panics – she means to freeze the grenade with her breath but she blasts it with her heat vision instead, causing it to explode right in front of her. A sickly, green cloud disperses in the narrow hallway, giving Sam no chance to avoid the noxious fumes. Mon-El glares at her for a moment before disappearing down the hallway. Sam reaches out after him, but she falls to one knee, the Kryptonite proving too much for her. Even with her innate resistance to Kryptonite, getting a second faceful of the stuff in however many minutes is more than she can handle.

After a few moments, she hears heavy, booted footfalls coming towards her. She starts to will her weakened body to fight, but sees that it’s on Lucy, who rushes towards her.

“Blackbird, you okay?” Lucy asks.

Sam nods.

“I will be,” she says. “Need to get out of here.”

Lucy, always quick to act, helps Sam stands up and supports her as they walk out to the comparatively fresh air of the main command room.

“Mon-El?” Sam asks, coughing.

“That Daxamite?” Lucy asks. “He ran out of here. Leapt through the hole he made in the roof. We tried to stop him, but…”

Sam shakes her head.

“My fault,” she says. “Alex was right. I need more training.”

“Do you need to rest?” Lucy asks.

Sam shakes her head once again. Even though she’s undertrained, even though she still has nightmares about Reign, even though she worries every second she’s using her powers that she’s going to slide back into Worldkiller mode, she knows she’s needed to save National City. She can stand, so she can still fight.

“No, I’m fine,” Sam says, standing up straight. “It takes more than Kryptonite to keep me down.”

Sam balls up her fists and stares up at the hole in the ceiling, through which she can see sliver of blue sky. The sun’s rays shine down upon her, and she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Already, she can feel her strength returning to her.

“Alright,” Lucy says. “Go save the world, Blackbird.”

Sam smiles at her. Lucy is all business, something she can deeply respect, and she’s always careful to call her by her new chosen name.

“Yes, ma’am,” Sam says.

With that, she rockets up into the sky and back to the fight.

* * *

The army support they were promised still hasn’t shown up, and more Daxamite soldiers continue to get beamed down from the dreadnaughts above. The situation is looking dire, even with Daisy there, and Alex is about to call for a retreat when a big, burly Daxamite soldier leaps in front of her.

“Oh, come on,” Alex grumbles.

She raises her ICER to shoot him, but he’s fast and knocks the gun out of her hands. He swings his fists at her, and she dodges both strikes and counters with an elbow to his gut, followed up with two strikes to his midsection and a kick to his side.

Alex looks up to see that none of her hits have had any effects on him.

“Shit,” Alex says.

The Daxamite charges at her, and in her haste to get away, her feet get tangled up in debris and she slams against a destroyed, flipped-over police car. The soldier looms over her, his silhouette blocking out the sun. If this is really how she’s going to go, she wants a mulligan, at least. He reaches out towards her neck and she reaches for one of her grenades. If anything, they both go down together.

Then, she hears a familiar rush of wind. One moment, the Daxamite is there, looming over her, and the next, he’s not. Where he once was stands Astra, the sun creating a halo of light around her hair.

“Took you long enough,” Alex says, pushing herself up to her feet.

“You’re welcome, Alexandra,” Astra says. “The Arctic circle is a long way away from National City, you know.”  

“Yeah, yeah,” Alex says, before turning to look at Astra. “Thank you.”

Astra nods at her, and in that same moment, the Daxamite she had flung upwards comes crashing down onto the asphalt, taken completely out of the fight. Alex can’t help but wince at the sound his armor makes when it hits the ground.

“Kinda overkill, don’t you think?” Alex asks.

“Nobody threatens my niece’s adoptive sister,” Astra says.

“Besides you, right?” Alex asks, grinning.

“Naturally,” Astra says, a faint smile on her face.

Alex is going to keep teasing her, but she’s interrupted by Daisy flying towards them and skidding against the asphalt, having gotten kicked by a particularly strong Daxamite. Daisy glares up at the two of them.

“You two going to stand here talking all day?” Daisy asks, before spitting blood out of her mouth and pushing herself to her feet.

Before either can respond, Daisy charges back into the fray.

“Shall we?” Astra asks.

“Work on containing them,” Alex says. “I’m going to have to call for a retreat. The DEO wasn’t meant for sustained combat like this.”

Astra nods and flies off, making sure to contain the borders of the skirmish, picking off any Daxamites who dare stray too far. Alex catches her breath for a moment, her hands on her knees, before barking into her radio for every agent to fall back and wait for support. Alex herself picks off a few more Daxamites with her ICER before rushing back towards the new boundary.

“Alex,” Jemma says, running over to her. “This isn’t working. We can’t just keep throwing bodies at the Daxamites.”

“Agreed,” Alex says. “Have any better ideas?”

“Yes. It’s clear that the Daxamites are in the possession of the same, or at least a similar, cube that transported me and Daisy here,” Jemma says. “If we were to get our hands on the cube…”

“Then we could transport they’re fleet out of here,” Alex says. “Preferably off into a sun, somewhere.”

“Maybe not into the sun, but yes, that’s basically what I was thinking,” Jemma says. “We’d have the fleet at our mercy.”

“Perfect,” Alex says. “I can send one of the Kryptonians to scan for the dreadnaughts for it.”

“Do it,” Jemma says.

Alex scans the battlefield to see who’s in the fight. Luckily for her, all three Kryptonians are here, including Sam.

“Kara!” Alex shouts into her hands-free communications device. “I want you to use your X-Ray vision on the dreadnaughts. You’re looking for a cube, like the one Daisy and Jemma described.”

“Got it!” Kara responds immediately.

Alex watches as she lifts off the ground and speeds upwards, towards the dreadnaught. Kara circles each one, her X-ray vision allowing her to see right through their thick, armored hulls and down into any nook and cranny.

“I don’t see anything!” Kara says, not too long after.

Jemma rubs the back of her neck, trying to think of something. She just knows that the cube is here, it has to be. Queen Rhea couldn’t have been referring to anything else.  

“Try looking for something that seems to be blocking your vision specifically,” Jemma says. “Anything that appears to be lead-lined or otherwise shielded.”

“Got it!” Kara says.

The radio falls silent once again. Jemma and Alex take the time to observe the battlefield. It’s not looking good, even with Astra and Sam fighting at full strength. The Daxamite army seems to be endless, and more and more soldiers continue to get beamed down from the dreadnaughts. The fighting has already spilled down city blocks, and the army still hasn’t arrived. It’s a mess.

* * *

Daisy, as always, is in the middle of the fight, surrounded on all sides by Daxamites. They all wait to rush at her – maybe by now they’ve learned just how dangerous she is. Finally, one of them bulrushes her, making her dodge out of the way. She ends up right in front of another one, who grabs her from behind and puts her into a chokehold. Daisy growls and grabs at his forearms, trying to break free. Another Daxamite rushes at her, looking to attack her from the front, but Daisy manages to swing her legs and kick him the chest with both feet.

The next Daxamite is luckier, though, and he manages to restrain her legs. Just as she’s about to use her powers to blast them all away, another soldier charges up to her, cocks back his fist, and slams it against her cheek. Daisy sees stars, the punch only exacerbating the effect of the chokehold. The punch to the face is followed up by another one, right to her gut. She tries to use her powers, but with her energy fading and almost no oxygen in her body, she can’t muster up anything.

Daisy coughs and continues to struggle, even though darkness is creeping into the edges of her vision, her thoughts turning into a jumbled mishmash of images and feelings. She thinks of Jemma as she stares up at the sky, seeing black specks in front of her.

Except one of those black specks is growing larger and larger. Daisy soon realizes that something is speeding right towards her.

Sam.

Sam lands right in the middle of the fight. The Daxamites scramble to draw their weapons and charge at her, but for them, it’s already too late. With a swiftness that Daisy can’t even track, Sam begins to dismantle them, one-by-one. She strikes with perfect precision, each blow finding its mark, all while she weaves in between them, avoiding punches and kicks with ease. Finally, the Daxamite holding Daisy in a chokehold is the only one in the group left standing.

Sam eyes flash red, her heat vision powering up, and that’s all the incentive the Daxamite needs to turn tail and run. Once his arms leave her neck, Daisy falls to her hands and knees. She coughs and desperately tries to suck air into her lungs at the same time, her vision still blurry and incomplete. Sam rushes over and kneels beside her.

“Daisy, are you okay?” Sam asks.

Daisy continues to cough as she gingerly holds her throat. She manages to nod.

“Just need to catch my breath,” Daisy says. “I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Sam asks.

“I’ll be fine,” Daisy repeats, her voice hoarse. “Just give me some space.”

Sam looks at her for a moment longer, concerned, before standing back up. For now, the least she can do is keep any Daxamites away from Daisy.

* * *

“I think I see something!” Kara shouts. “There’s some sort of shielded container inside the dreadnaught I’m circling around.”

Alex looks up, shielding her eyes from the sun, and sees a blue-and-red speck zooming around one of the alien ships. She laughs. Leave it to Kara to use that as her way of pointing something out.

“Got it, Supergirl,” Alex says. “Get back down here. I want you to fly Jemma and Daisy up to that ship, since they’re the ones who know what to look for. Keep them safe while you’re up there.”

“Absolutely,” Kara says. “I’ll be down in a second.”

Kara speeds back down to the street, but just as she’s about to touch down, a Daxamite leaps towards her and tackles her to the ground. Alex’s eyes widen as she sees who it is – it’s Rhea, brandishing a Kryptonite sword.

“Shit,” Alex says, before activating her comms. “Sam! Fly Jemma and Daisy up to the dreadnaught hovering right about the L-Corp building. Get ready to fly, Agents of SHIELD.”

“On it,” Sam replies.

Sam slams the Daxamite she’s been fighting into the street, forming a crater in the asphalt, and zooms through the battlefield. She picks up Jemma in one hand and Daisy in the other, and making sure to be careful, she soars upwards, towards the dreadnaught. The wind whips at their faces and the sheer sensation of flight is both thrilling and strange to Jemma and Daisy. Jemma tries her hardest not too look down, but she does, and she sees her booted feet dangling hundreds of feet above the city below, with only Sam’s steady grip to keep her safe. She begins to feel dizzy.

As they approach the armored hull, Sam uses her heat vision to cut out a section, and Daisy blasts it inwards with her powers. They land safely inside the dreadnaught. Jemma has to restrain herself from lying down against the solid metal floor, thankful to not be soaring through the air anymore.

“Well,” Jemma says. “I never want to do that again.”

“I thought it was kind of fun,” Daisy says. “Anyway, let’s find this cube and get these Daxamites out of this city.”

“Agreed,” Sam says.

* * *

Kara rolls onto her back, a Kryptonite dagger embedded in her side, right through the armor weave of her suit.  

Rhea raises her Kryptonite sword above her head, ready to slice right through Kara, but Alex definitely isn’t going to let that happen. Alex draws her lead-core sword and thrusts it directly towards Rhea. At the last moment, a Daxamite soldier sees what’s happening and leaps forward, taking the blow that was meant for Rhea. He slumps to the ground, the lead coursing through his system, and Alex pulls her sword out of his limp body.

The commotion catches Rhea’s attention, who turns around and regards Alex with a predatory expression on her face. Alex steels herself and grips her sword more tightly, the fabric of her gloves straining against the hilt.

“Ah, the sisters,” Rhea says. “Both of you are endless sources of irritation. I’ll be pleased to kill you both right here.”

“Bigger fools than you have tried and failed to kill me,” Alex says. “So, come on. Take your shot.”

Rhea snarls and charges at Alex, who readies herself. Alex blocks the first blow with her sword, the sound of metal against metal reverberating off the concrete surrounding them. Rhea is strong, stronger even than Alex with her exoskeleton suit on, and the fight isn’t going to last long if she isn’t smart about this. Alex dodges the next sword-swipe, dances to the side, and thrusts her sword at Rhea once again. She manages to dodge as well, following up with an upward swing of her sword. The tip of the blade nearly nicks Alex’s nose, and she stumbles backwards, trying to recover her footing. Rhea advances on her, bring her sword up, then slashing down at her.

Alex gets her back foot under her and brings her sword up, their blades clashing once again. Rhea leans on hers, though, using her superior strength to press her sword against Alex’s, the blade getting closer and closer to her face. Alex can hear the mechanics of her suit whirring and hissing, indicating that they’re close to their maximum. Rhea smiles down at Alex.

“Do you feel that, agent?” Rhea asks. “That’s the feeling of inevitability. That your fate has already been sealed.”

“Oh, shut it, drama queen.”  

Alex looks behind Rhea to see that Kara has gotten back to her feet. The bloodied Kryptonite dagger is held loosely in her hand before she drops it. It clatters with surprising loudness against the asphalt as it glints an evil shade of green in the sunlight. Rhea turns to look behind her and Kara wastes no time in kicking her right into the side of a building.

The Daxamites are quick to rush in and check on their Queen, though. Alex glares at them as she spits blood out of her mouth. Nobody ever said this would be an easy fight.

* * *

“How are those suits coming along, Lena?” Lucy asks as she strolls into the DEO’s R&D labs.

“They’re coming,” Lena says.

She yelps, the tool she’s working with arcing electricity onto her forearm.

“I’m fine,” Lena is quick to say. “They’ll be done soon, don’t worry.”

“Good,” Lucy says. “They may need them sooner rather than later.”

Lucy walks back out of the lab, leaving Lena with a worried expression on her face. She stares down on the suit she’s working on – it’s Kara’s, the bright crest of the House of El staring right at her. Mindlessly, she lets her fingers brush against the crest. This might just be the most important project she’s ever undertaken.

* * *

Sam uses her x-ray vision to scan for the shielded container that Kara saw earlier. She finds it in a large, circular room towards the top of the ship – and they’re, of course, towards the bottom of it.

“Well, we just have to fight our way through an entire alien ship’s worth of aliens,” Daisy says. “Great. Just great.”

“Not getting tired, are you?” Sam asks, a slight grin on her face.

“Maybe I am,” Daisy says. “I’m getting cranky, too. I could use a nap.”

“You can nap as much as you like once we stop this invasion,” Jemma says, her ICER drawn. “Let’s do this.”

Jemma starts marching down the long corridor they’re in. Sam and Daisy look at one another before following after her.

As they make their way through the dreadnaught, Daisy finds herself wishing they had Sam back during their many stealth missions with SHIELD, given her x-ray vision and super-hearing (let alone the million other insane powers that she has). Sam is continuously scanning for guards or other Daxamites milling around the large ship, making sure they stay on a safe, swift route to the cube. Despite the ship’s size, they make their way to the sealed doors outside of the circular room fairly quickly.

“The doors are heavy,” Sam says, scanning them with her x-ray vision. “We’ll have to be careful to not make too much noise when we open them.”

“Got it,” Daisy says.

Sam quickly slices through the door with her heat vision, and once she’s done, Daisy gently presses the cut section forward with her powers, blanketing the metal with vibrations, and gently sets it down. Almost no noise is made throughout the entire process.

“Nice,” Jemma says.

Daisy grins at her.

The three women enter the room, which appears to be the control room for the entire dreadnaught. The wall opposite to them as they step inside is completely covered by large monitors that display video feeds of the fight below and of the other dreadnaughts. The video feeds are overlaid with strange, alien writing. There are also several stations with their own video monitors and what appear to be flight controls throughout the room.

And, right in the very center of the room, is a tall, black column that runs from floor to ceiling.

“Is that where the cube is?” Jemma asks, pointing at the column.

Sam nods.

“It is,” she says. “I can’t see through it.”

“That must be it,” Daisy says. “Now, how do we open this thing? Want to blast it with your heat vision or something?”

Sam takes a step back and fires at the strange column. The column begins to glow an angry red color from the heat but shows no signs of actually melting. Sam clenches her fists and increases the intensity of her heat vision, so much so that Jemma and Daisy can feel the ambient temperature in the room rise by several degrees, but even that doesn’t seem to have any effect. She lets up, surprised that here efforts were for naught.  

“Okay, well, there has to be a way to open this thing up,” Jemma says. “I doubt they’d just have an impenetrable column in their control room without a way to access what’s inside.”

Right as Daisy opens her mouth to speak, Daxamite soldiers begin flooding into the control room through the ruined doors. They surround the three women, who all drop into fighting stances despite being so horribly outnumbered. Finally, once all of the soldiers have entered the room, Mon-El walks inside, his arms clasped behind his back.

“You,” Sam spits. “You’re lucky to be alive.”

“Watch your temper, Worldkiller,” Mon-El says. “You don’t want to scare your new friends, do you?”

Sam glares at him but says nothing.

“Ah, silence,” Mon-El says. “That’s better. Now, I don’t think I need to tell you all that if you try to fight back, we will kill you all.”

“You think you can take us?” Daisy asks. “I’ve seen you Daxamites fight. Blackbird could tear through all of you without even breaking a sweat.”

Mon-El stares at her, and to everyone’s surprise, begins to laugh.

“Blackbird? You took that name?” he asks, still laughing. “Don’t try and fool yourself.”

He stands right in front of Sam, sneering down at her.

“You know who you really are,” he says. “Reign.”

Sam’s eyes flash red, but Mon-El is quick to reveal what he’s been holding behind his back – a strange, otherworldly stone that seems to suck in all light around it. Daisy feels gross just looking at it. Sam’s eyes immediately fade and her whole body seems to lose color.

“What – what is that?” Sam asks.

“We picked up some of Maxwell Lord’s toys, and this was one of them,” Mon-El says. “Honestly, though, I don’t even know where he got this thing. He called it Null Kryptonite. It’s meant to shut down Worldkillers like you.”

“I am not a Worldkiller,” Sam says through gritted teeth.

Daisy, knowing the chances of them making it out of here are basically zero without Sam’s help, raises her hand and tries to blast the Kryptonite right out of his hand. Just like in Lord’s mansion, though, she can’t seem to produce any vibrations in the air. Mon-El eventually notices what she’s trying to do and begins to laugh.

“I wondered what that nullifier was meant to do,” Mon-El. “I suppose it works on you. Good to know. I’ll deal with you next.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Daisy says. “You look like an extra on a bad TV show. You don’t scare me.”

Mon-El glares at her but says nothing more. Daisy tries her best to remain defiant, even though this is the second time in however many days that her powers have failed her. She doesn’t know how much more of that she can take.

“Worldkiller, don’t try and deny who you are,” Mon-El says, turning back to face Sam. “This Kryptonite doesn’t work on normal Kryptonians. Just the ones who were designed to be weapons.”

Sam clenches her fists, rage burning in her eyes. Her strength is clearly quickly fading, though, given the way her posture slouches and her eyelids threaten to shut on her. Daisy surveys the room. With Sam at full strength they’d have no problem getting out of here, but given her current state, Daisy’s not thrilled about their odds. She tries to catch Jemma’s eye, but she’s staring intensely at the strange, impenetrable column in the center of the room. Daisy wouldn’t at all be surprised if Jemma has already thought up a plan to get them out of here.

“No clever retort? How boring,” Mon-El says.

He begins pacing in front of them, clearly relishing his current control of the entire situation. Daisy already hates his guts.

“You know what?” Mon-El asks, stopping once again in front of Sam. “I’m going to answer your question before. I am the Mon-El you knew.”

Sam’s eyes widen.

“How?” she asks, her voice weak. “You’re nothing like you once were.”

Mon-El’s eyes darken, and he looks off into the video monitors, watching the battle below.

“I divorced Imra, my wife. But you knew that,” Mon-El says. “We agreed to keep working on the same team, that our changed relationship wouldn’t affect our work.”

“I’m guessing that didn’t work out,” Daisy says.

“It didn’t,” Mon-El says, gripping one of the nearby control consoles tightly. “I thought I could handle it, but seeing Imra so free and happy, and eventually moving on…”

“You’re disgusting,” Sam says. “You never deserved her, and you certainly never deserved Kara!”

Sam, though her powers are still fading, manages to find enough strength within herself to spit out that last sentence with venom. Mon-El spins around to face her and marches right up to her.

“You don’t get to talk to me like that, Worldkiller,” Mon-El says. “How could you understand my relationship with Kara? How could anyone?”

Mon-El stalks back off, fuming. Daisy turns to look at Jemma, who’s still staring at the strange, shielded pillar.

“I started to lose it, I’ll admit it. I began to drink, more than was healthy,” Mon-El says. “Never on the job, at first. But then, seeing Imra every day – I couldn’t help myself. Then, during one mission, something went wrong.”

“What a surprise,” Sam says.

Mon-El scowls at her.

“Something went wrong. I got separated from the rest of my team,” he says, continuing his story. “The aliens we were chasing captured me, instead. They locked me up in their prison ship, located in a pocket dimension.”

Sam narrows her eyes at him. It’s starting to all come together – his new, brutal attitude, his changed appearance, all of it.

“How long were you there, Mon-El?” Sam asks.

“Long enough,” Mon-El says. “Time in that pocket dimension was warped, strange. I was only gone for one year on the outside, but in there, it seemed as if an entire decade had passed.”

“Who broke you out?” Sam asks.

Mon-El smiles cruelly at her.

“Queen Rhea,” Mon-El. “Still alive. She said that she had taken over the Daxamite fleet of a parallel universe and that she had plans to attempt her invasion again. Because she had in her possession the means to travel between universes…”

“Hey! Sorry to interrupt your story,” Jemma shouts. “But is this the ‘means to travel’ you’re talking about?”

Jemma is standing beside the pillar, but it’s slid open, revealing the strange, black cube hidden within. Daisy can’t believe it – not only that they’ve found the same artifact that transported them here in the first place, but that Jemma has also found a way to get to it.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Mon-El asks.

The soldiers crowd closer to Jemma. Her hand hovers just above the cube.

“I’ve seen this before,” Jemma says. “And I know how it works. I could transport us anywhere at the snap of my fingers. Maybe I’ll send us all into the heart of a star.”  

“You wouldn’t,” Mon-El says.

“I would,” Jemma says. “Or, maybe…”

Before any of the soldiers can react, she grabs a frag grenade off her belt.

“Maybe I’ll just blow it up,” Jemma says. “I’m not entirely sure what that would do, but with all of the energy stored within it, I’m sure it would be quite exciting. So, what do you think? Your choice, really.”

Mon-El stares at her with an intensity that nearly makes her flinch. But, she holds steady.

“I choose not to play this little game of yours,” Mon-El says. “Soldier, remove her arm.”

None of them – not Sam, not Daisy, and not even Jemma – gets the chance to react before the soldier nearest Jemma swings his sword downwards in a clean stroke. The blade strikes true, cleaving right through the machinery of her exoskeleton suit and then straight through her forearm. Jemma slowly looks down at where her hand once was.

Acting purely on instinct, Daisy slams her palm down upon the ground, willing her powers to work. Still, nothing happens.

At first.

Then, the entire room that they’re standing in simply bursts.

It’s not what usually happens when she uses her powers. Instead of everything shaking until it all breaks from the stress of the vibrations, the elements making up the walls and the floor and the ceiling seem to just lose their attraction to one another, breaking down instead into their constituent particles. What remains of the walls and the ceilings of the room drift peacefully through the air, resembling motes of dust in the sun.

And, with the floor beneath them no longer existing, they all plummet down to the level below. They all fall awkwardly, ungracefully, except for Daisy. She knows what to do.

Mon-El manages to land right on the arm that’s clutching onto the Null Kryptonite, and it bounces out of his grasp. Daisy sprints over towards it, and before he can reach out and grab it, she scoops it up in her hands. She holds it tightly, and using her powers, shatters it into millions and millions of unseen particles. The Kryptonite dissipates harmlessly into the air. Nearby, Sam comes to, sucking in a big gulp of air.  

Daisy runs over to Jemma next, cradling her in her arms. Jemma’s skin is pale, and blood is oozing from her wound. Daisy swallows harshly, the sight of her mangled arm too much for her to process.

“You’re going to be okay,” Daisy says. “You’re going to be fine.”

Jemma nods, attempting to smile weakly.

“Soldiers!” Mon-El shouts. “Restrain the Worldkiller!”

Nearby Daxamite soldiers, who have managed to regain their footing, charge at Sam. She’s still regaining her strength, and she’s unable to fight them all off. Eventually, one of them gets her in a chokehold, while two more hold her arms.

“I am not a Worldkiller!” Sam shouts. “My name is Samantha Arias! I have a daughter I love and friends that I care for. This is my home, and you are not welcome here!”

Sam lets loose a blast of heat vision at the ceiling, which blasts through several level of the dreadnaught, through the armor plating, and out into the sky. The people down on street level even see it. Next, Sam flings the Daxamite desperately holding onto her right arm across the room, and then the one on her left arm. Sam then grabs onto the forearms of the soldier holding her in a chokehold, and with a loud growl of exertion, uses her superior strength to break free. She grabs him by the neck and slams him into the ground.

“Sam,” Jemma says, her voice weak. “Get the cube.”

Sam nods and rushes over to where the cube is. It’s still in its secondary containment device, a clear acrylic cylinder, to which a large touch-screen device is attached.

“Okay, we’re getting out of here,” Sam says as she hands the cube off to Daisy.

Sam looks down and blasts a hole through several levels of the dreadnaught until she can see the city below them. She once again grabs Daisy and Jemma, and they fall through the ship until they’re out in the clear, at which point Sam flies them down as gently and safely as they can to where the DEO has set up a new perimeter.

Alex rushes over to them as soon as she sees them. Her eyes grow wide when she sees what’s happened to Jemma.

“What happened in there?” Alex asks.

“Mon-El happened,” Sam says, wincing, perhaps involuntarily.

Alex grimaces. This isn’t going well.

“We got the cube,” Jemma says, her voice barely audible. “Don’t know how it works, but we’ll figure it out.”

“You did great, Jemma,” Alex says. “Sam, get her back to HQ, have them look at her. Take the cube with you, too, figure out how it works.”

“Got it,” Sam says.

“Hey, Jemma,” Daisy says, rushing over to her side. “You’re going to be okay. I know it. Maybe you’ll even get a cool prosthetic hand like Coulson.”

Jemma smiles faintly at her.

“Are you kidding me? I’ll definitely have Fitz make me a cooler one than that,” Jemma says. “Don’t worry about me, Skye. I’ll be fine. The bus kids always make it through.”

Daisy smiles back at her, as brightly as she can muster. She barely even notices that Jemma calls her by the wrong name. She said it once, and it’ll always be true – Jemma can call her whatever she pleases.

“Yeah, we do,” Daisy says. “Stay safe.”

Sam looks at Daisy, who nods. Being as careful as she can, Sam scoops Jemma up in her arms and slowly lifts off the ground. Almost as soon as she lifts off, though, her powers falter and she nearly drops Jemma as she plummets back down to the ground. Daisy rushes over to her, making sure that they’re both okay.

“What happened?” Daisy asks.

Sam gets up onto one knee, her face pale.

“I’m not sure,” Sam says. “The Kryptonite must still be in my system.”

“Oh, Sam,” Alex says, kneeling by her. “We’ll figure this out.”

Alex looks up, scanning the battlefield for the two remaining Kryptonians.

“Astra!” Alex shouts into her comms device. “I need you to fly Jemma back to HQ.”

“Of course,” Astra replies immediately, and flies over.

Alex watches as Astra flies off with Jemma and warns Lena that she has incoming. Nothing about this fight is going the way she had planned, or she had hoped.

* * *

The medical personnel, along with Lena, are already prepped by the time that Astra returns to HQ. Jemma is still holding onto consciousness, but just barely. They get her onto an operating table and are about to leap into action when Jemma grabs Lena’s shirt and pulls her close.

“Don’t put me under,” Jemma says. “I need to figure out how the cube works. Close the wound, give me painkillers, give me a shot of adrenaline if you need to.”

“Jemma, this is a serious injury,” Lena says. “We can’t just…”

“Lena, please,” Jemma says. “Don’t take me out of this fight.”

Lena sighs.

“Please,” Jemma repeats. “The cube. I can get it to work.”

A million thoughts run through Lena’s head all at once. On one hand, Daisy will absolutely kill her if anything bad happens to Jemma. On the other hand, as weak as she is, Jemma’s eyes are still burning bright, her insistence on staying in the fight all too clear.  

“Alright, Jemma,” Lena says. “This isn’t going to be pleasant, but we can do it.”

* * *

It’s not pretty, but it’ll have to work. Lena and the DEO’s medical personnel have done the best they can to clean up Jemma’s horrific wound, leaving it swaddled in gauze, her arm suspended in a sling. Lena makes her swear that she’ll let them take proper care of her arm once the fighting is through, and Jemma not only agrees but promises to explain to Daisy that this was all her idea. Astra has already left, the need for another Kryptonian on the front lines simply too great.

Lena presses two painkillers into Jemma’s palm.

“Please be careful,” Lena says.

“Don’t worry,” Jemma says. “I’m always careful.”

Lena just gives her a look. The two of them walk over to where the cube, in its containment device, is resting on one of the benchtops in the main command rooms. It’s just as otherworldly as Jemma remembers, with the way its surfaces seem to absorb light from any sources around it and the way that, if observed carefully, strange, deep, swirling patterns can almost be observed in it. Jemma leans over and observes the touchscreen monitor attached to the containment device.

“Thoughts?” Lena asks.

“I’m going to touch it and see what happens,” Jemma says.

“A good a plan as any, I suppose,” Lena says.

“I believe that this containment device is how the Daxamites control the cube,” Jemma says. “They simply must have some means of doing so.”

Jemma taps at the screen and it immediately comes to life, displaying text in some sort of alien script.

“Daxamite, I presume,” Jemma says. “Know how to read it?”

“Sadly, no,” Lena says. “That wasn’t an elective at MIT. But, there might be someone here who can help. Follow me. We’re taking that thing with us.”

Lena scoops the containment device in her arms and starts walking off.

“Got it,” Jemma says. “Where are we going?”  

“You’ll see,” Lena says.

She leads them deeper into the base, down halls and corridors that Jemma’s never even seen before. They end up in front of a rather, lonely, nondescript door towards the end of a hallway. Lena scans her handprint and retina on the security device by the door, which smoothly hisses open once the system registers Lena’s identity. They step into the room, Jemma following Lena. It’s a simple, almost barren room, and Jemma is about to ask why they’re here when a projection of a woman flickers on in front of them. Jemma takes a step back by instinct and clutches her wounded arm closer to her chest. The woman looks friendly, though, with a slight, pleasant smile and warm, brown hair.

“Alura,” Lena says. “We need your help.”

“Of course,” the woman – Alura – says. “Who is this with you?”

“Her name is Jemma. She’s a friend,” Lena says. “Your daughter trusts her.”

Jemma narrows her eyes, the word ‘daughter’ catching her attention.

“Good,” Alura says. “What can I assist you with?”

“Can you read the Daxamite language?” Lena asks. “Here, look.”

Lena taps at the screen on the containment device and it flashes to life once more, the same alien script on display. The hologram leans in closer, inspecting the text.

“I can read this,” Alura says. “In fact, I can translate this entire device for you.”

The hologram presses her finger to the device and a brilliant flash of white light is released when she makes contact. When Lena pulls the device away, she sees that all of the text is not in English.

“Incredible,” Jemma says, in awe.

“Thank you, Alura,” Lena says. “I don’t know what we would’ve done without your help.”

“I’m sure you would’ve found a way, child,” Alura says. “Stay safe, Lena.”

“I will,” Lena says.

The hologram fades away once again, and the two of them leave the room, the deciphered device in hand.

* * *

The military support has finally arrived, but it’s almost too late to be helpful. They do two fly-bys with fighter jets, only to discover the alien dreadnaughts are seemingly impervious to conventional military hardware. The soldiers on the ground help, but it seems that by the time they take out one squad of Daxamites, two more beam down from the dreadnaughts above. And Alex certainly isn’t happy to see tanks crunching they’re way down the main streets of National City, given that they’re almost too slow for the Daxamites.

Kara is giving it her all, but even she has her limits. With Sam out of the fight, it’s only her and Astra representing the Kryptonians in the group. They’re both getting tired, and Alex can tell. She thinks about giving the order to retreat, but she’s not sure how much good that will do, and she knows that neither of them will pay any attention to her. Alex studies the Daxamite troop movements, trying to figure out what they’re doing. It seems as if they’re just stalling, using their superior numbers to wear down the Kryptonians and give any human elements as much trouble as they can handle. But, what then beyond that? What’s their endgame?

That’s when Alex sees it.

The next group of soldiers that beam down aren’t brandishing the tradition hand-to-hand Daxamite weapons. No, they’re brandishing shiny, new, lead-lined assault rifles. If Alex had to guess, she’d say that their ammunition glows green, too.

“Kryptonite!” Alex shouts into her comms device. “Kryptonite bullets! Kara, Astra, get out of there!”

Astra reacts first, locking eyes with the Daxamites who are reading their deadly weaponry. They aren’t aiming at her, though, they’re aiming somewhere to her left. Alex watches in horror as they both realize at the same time that they’re aiming right for Kara. Without thinking, Alex sprints towards the group of Daxamites, as Astra speeds through the air towards Kara.

Alex primes two grenades and hurls them both at the Daxamite soldiers.

The sound of assault rifle fire chatters in the air, and Alex swears it’s the loudest sound she’s ever heard in her life. In that moment, she swears she can see each sickly, green bullet speeding through the air, each one flying directly at Kara.

Kara begins to dodge, but it’s too late. There’s no way she’ll be able to avoid the main brunt of the volley of Kryptonite bullets, but Astra has already thought of that. Astra speeds in front of Kara and shields her from the hail of bullets. Kara’s face contorts in horror as she realizes what her aunt has just done for her, right as the grenades Alex threw explode beneath them. They’re not enough to kill the Daxamites, but it’s enough to take them out of commission for a while.

Alex sprints over to where Kara is gently lowering Astra to the pavement. Astra’s suit is torn into shreds, the glow of the Kryptonite bullets emanating from each of her wounds. Tears are streaming down Kara’s cheeks as she cradles Astra’s body, rocking it back and forth. Alex kneels down by them.

Definitely not how she had seen this day going.

* * *

“What have you two found?” Lucy asks.

Lena sets the containment device back down.

“Nothing, yet,” Lena says. “We’ve translated the device, at least. Let’s take a look.”

“Take a look fast,” Lucy says. “Things aren’t going so well in National City.”

Lena and Jemma take a look at one another. Even in the very brief amount of time that she’s known Lucy, Jemma knows that if she thinks something isn’t “going so well,” it’s an unmitigated disaster. They begin to work more quickly.

They navigate through the computer system to find that it’s remarkably simple. It seems that if one has the proper coordinates, they can travel to any parallel universe that they so desire. There’s even a setting that allows the cube to transport foreign universal matter back to its origin – meaning that it can take Jemma and Daisy home. There are further options as well, one for disruption and another for termination, but neither of them are entirely sure if those are paths they want to head down.

“There’s one problem, though,” Lena says. “This doesn’t work at range. We’d have to get this back on the Daxamite ship in order to transport them away.”

“I know, and there’s no way they’re letting us back up onto any of them,” Jemma says. “I have another idea, though.”

Jemma presses the setting that will allow her to return back home. Back to SHIELD. Hopefully right back at HQ, where she was first teleported away.

“Wait!” Lena says. “Are you sure about this? What do you plan to do?”

“There are more ways than one to take down an invading fleet,” Jemma says. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.”

Jemma taps on the screen a few more times, and the top of the containment device slides open, revealing the strange, dark cube within. With a deep breath, Jemma reaches down and presses her palm against it. In a moment, she’s gone in a bright flash of light, the cube transported with her.

* * *

Jemma opens her eyes to find that she’s back in the labs at SHIELD, right in front of the cube that had transported her away originally. Her nerves finally begin to subside – she was worried that she’d just be flung back into this universe with no bearing on where she’d appear, but thankfully, the homing feature seems to have actually worked. The cube, with its strange, swirling, light-absorbing sides, catches her eye, and she stares at it for a moment. Who could have guessed that a little cube could cause so much trouble?  

She hears a noise behind her and she spins around on her heel. Her eyes widen as she sees that it’s Fitz who’s standing right in front of her, the noise coming from the tablet he just dropped on the floor. It’s been so long since she’s seen him that he looks completely foreign to her, like she’s seeing him for the very first time. Has his beard always been so scruffy? And his eyes so tired? Still, there’s hardly anyone she’d rather see on returning to her own universe once again.

“You – what are you – how?” Fitz stammers. “You were gone, and now you’re back – and your arm? Jemma!”

If the situation weren’t so dire, Jemma might actually laugh at Fitz’s panicky response to her return. Now, though, the deadly serious expression doesn’t leave her face for even a moment.

“Fitz, there’s no time to explain,” Jemma says. “Take me to Coulson. I need his help.”

Fitz opens his mouth for a moment, no doubt wanting to ask a million more questions, but instead just nods frantically and rushes off to find Coulson. Jemma tries her best to follow him. They find him in the hanger, working on fixing up his bright red flying car, Lola.

“Coulson!” Jemma says. “I need your help.”

Coulson does the world’s most subdued double-take upon seeing Jemma.

“Jemma,” Coulson greets. “See, Fitz? I told you we’d find her.”

“Well, she found us, more like,” Fitz says. “Somehow. You know, Jemma, I’m very cross with you. I mean, you disappeared on us again, and…”

“I’m sorry, but I really need to be quick about this,” Jemma interrupts. “I need help. Serious help.”

“Could you be a bit more specific?” Coulson asks.

Jemma pauses, trying to think of the best way to explain what’s happening in the other universe in the most succinct way possible. It’s not an easy task.

“Well, the parallel universe I was mysteriously transported to is being invaded by a bunch of super-strong, evil humanoid aliens,” Jemma says. “So, something that can help with that?”

Coulson thinks for a moment.

“You know what? Maria Hill owes me a favor,” Coulson says. “Just give me a second.”

* * *

“Again?” Maria asks. “How many times can we be invaded by aliens?”

“Not here, in a parallel universe,” Coulson says. “Can you spare someone or not?”

Maria sighs and taps on her keyboard for a few moments.

“Look, most of the boys are out on missions right now,” Maria says. “But, there is someone I can send.”

* * *

Jemma returns to the DEO HQ in one piece in a brilliant flash of light, with her new guest right by her side.

“That was fast,” Lena says. “And this is – help?”  

“She is,” Jemma says.

“Great,” Lucy says. “I need to use the device, too. I have a couple of favors I can call in, too.”

Lucy activates the device, places her hand on the cube, and disappears in a flash of light.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit's getting real
> 
> Also feel free to judge my taste in music


	9. all falls down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, here's my weird fight playlist on spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1UhukS1OWCYgN5jdBqRPVp

Kara soars through the air, looking to see where she can assist in the fight. Her anger over Astra’s injuries is beginning to fade, but the image of her aunt throwing herself in front of an onslaught of bullets is one that she’ll hold on to for the rest of her life, whether she wants to or not. She sees a couple of DEO agents getting cornered by a group of Daxamite soldiers and she speeds over, easily knocking them out. The longer the fight drags on and the more injuries her side sustains, the less she holds back against the Daxamites, the lower her inhibitions get. She tries not to think about the Red Kryptonite incident.   

Just as she’s about to fly back up, two grenades burst into clouds of green, right by her head. She coughs, trying to wave it off, but it’s too late. The Kryptonite has entered her system, and she can feel her powers begin to fade once again. She slams her fist against the asphalt. She can’t let this stop her, she just can’t. She’s the last Kryptonian in the fight. If she goes down, what hope does National City stand against the invasion?

Across the street, Daisy just hopes she doesn’t lose any teeth as she gets hit across the face with the butt of a heavy, lead-lined assault rifle. She gives back just as good as she gets, though, as she opens up her palm and sends the Daxamite flying with her powers. She dodges a blow from the Daxamite to her right, but another strikes her head from behind, sending her stumbling forward. More and more soldiers swarm her, and she tries to slam her fist against the asphalt to send waves of vibrations through the ground, but one soldiers sees what she’s doing and tackles her. She hits the asphalt hard and the wind is knocked out of her. All she can do now is look up at the sliver of blue sky above her, the rest blocked out by the soldiers swarming around her.

One brings their booted foot down on her. Then another. And another. Daisy curls up into a ball, too stunned and too injured to focus on using her powers. The Daxamites are wearing armored masks, but Daisy imagines their faces, sneering and proud, as they finally take her down. The strikes continue to come, one after another, each blow testing the limits of her enhanced durability. Each one seems like the hit that will shatter her into a million pieces, leaving her broken on the street of a city that she can’t even call home. Daisy’s breaths come in quick, sharp gasps, and she uses all of her willpower just to hold onto her consciousness.

And then, suddenly, the blows stop. She hears yelling, and screaming, and then – silence. That’s almost more terrifying than the blows to her body.

After a few moments, Daisy dares to look up. The Daxamite soldiers have been strewn across the street, some of them even embedded in buildings around her or thrown onto the tops of cars. There aren’t many people in either universe who have the power to do so much damage in so little time.

And then, a figure, wreathed in crackling, red energy, descends from the sky. She passes in front of the sun, becoming an ethereal, heavenly silhouette for just a moment. The figure touches down gently on the asphalt, her coat falling about her knees, at which point Daisy can finally see who it is.

Wanda Maximoff. The Scarlett Witch.

Three more squads of Daxamites beam down around her, their weapons raised at her. Before either she or Daisy can react, there’s a distinctive crackle of lightning, and in an instant, the Daxamites find themselves with their hands empty. They look around, shocked and confused as to what could have happened to their weaponry. As if to answer their questions, in a rush of wind and with a smile on his face, Barry Allen skids to a stop right in the middle of all the soldiers.

“Sorry, boys,” he says. “No more playing with guns.”

One of them tries to sneak up on him from behind, which is a terrible idea, but before even he does anything about it the soldier finds himself getting hit across the head by a distinctive, white baton.

“That was a terrible one-liner, Barry,” Sara Lance says, grinning, spinning her baton beneath her arm.

“I thought it was kind of cool,” Barry says.  

Kara, finding herself smiling, touches down on the street between them.

“Hey!” Kara greets. “I’m so happy to see you guys! But, how are you even here?”

“Well, for me, some really scary lady named ‘Lucy Lane’ showed up and told me to come with her,” Barry says. “She looked pretty serious and said you were in trouble, so I agreed.”

“You’re too trusting,” Sara says.

“How’d you get here, then?” Barry asks.

“Same lady showed up,” Sara says. “She was hot, so I followed.”

“Don’t ever change, Sara,” Kara says, grinning.

“Hey, the banter is nice and all,” Wanda says. “But we should fight, don’t you think?”

“Alright, the pretty lady is saying we fight, so let’s fight,” Sara says, dropping down into a fighting stance. “Let’s do this.”

Daisy pushes herself up to a standing position, gritting her teeth and wincing as she forces her damaged body to respond to her commands.

“Oh, no,” Daisy growls, pushing her way through the gathered superheroes. “These guys are all mine!”

Though her body aches, adrenaline takes over, and she uses her powers to boost herself up into the air, and from her vantage point, sends waves of vibrational energy down at all of the Daxamite soldiers. They’re all crushed against the pavement, unable to handle the intensity of Daisy’s powers. Daisy lands back on the street in a perfect three-point stance.

“So cool,” Sara says beneath her breath.

The dust settles. A moment passes, and Daisy is surprised that no more squads of Daxamite soldiers are being beamed down, though she’s not exactly complaining.

“Is that it?” Sara asks. “I mean, I always like a good fight, but it hardly seems like you needed our help.”

“No, I’m sure they’re planning something up there,” Daisy says. “C’mon, let’s rest up and regroup. Maximoff, I think I’m going to need your help with something.”

“Lead on,” Wanda says.

They make their way back to where Alex, the two downed Kryptonians, and the rest of the DEO agents have bunkered up in a hotel lobby. They all look in a bad way and their numbers have dwindled significantly from the start of the fight. Alex looks relieved to see some new faces joining the battle, though, and she smiles when she sees Sara.

“I should’ve known you’d be here, agent,” Sara says, smiling.  

“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” Alex says, standing up to hug her. “How’d you guys get here?”

“Lucy Lane, with a magic cube,” Barry says.

Everyone turns to look at him.

“What? That’s not any weirder than anything we’ve dealt with in the past,” Barry says.

“Okay, whatever, I’m just glad we have some more help,” Alex says. “Who’s this?”

She nods her head towards Wanda Maximoff.

“Oh, I’m…” she begins to say.

“She’s Wanda Maximoff!” Daisy cuts in. “She was a major player in the Ultron incident in our universe. She started off as one of the bad guys, but as she learned the scope of the conflict she was taking part in, she joined sides with the Avengers. Her powers allow her to do basically anything. She’s great.”

The group is silent for a beat. Wanda cocks her head to the side, regarding Daisy with a curious expression.

“Sorry, I’m a big fan,” Daisy says, rubbing the back of her neck.

“Thanks,” Wanda says, not quite sure what to make of Daisy. “But yes, everything she said is basically true.”

“Well, any help we can get, right?” Alex says.

“Oh, actually, you can help us out right now,” Daisy says. “We’re going to test the limits of your powers.”

Daisy waves Wanda over as she kneels by Astra’s side. Her skin is pale, and her chest is barely rising and falling, the act of breathing nearly too much for her Kryptonite-infected system. The DEO medical officers have done their best to try and stymie the spread of Kryptonite, but even they can only do so much. Kara makes her way over to them as well, her concern for her aunt clear on her face.

“She’s been exposed to a substance dangerous to her species,” Daisy says. “Could you remove that from her?”

Without question, Wanda kneels down by Astra and places her palm a few inches above her body. Red tendrils of her power radiate from her palm and quickly envelop Astra’s entire body, wreathing her in a strange, otherworldly glow. Kara clenches her fists, clearly not trusting Wanda as much as Daisy seems to. Wanda closes her eyes tightly, focusing.

“Yes, I can remove it,” Wanda says. “Stand back.”

Everyone, who had gathered around to witness Wanda’s unusual powers, takes a few quick steps backwards. Wanda lifts her hand up, her movements deliberate and slow, and as she does, a green gas is extracted from Astra’s body, encased safely in Wanda’s powers. She moves her hands about the orb of green gas a couple of times before pointing upwards, the Kryptonite following her outstretched finger. It dissipates high in the atmosphere, harmlessly.

“Amazing,” Kara says.

Even after that, Astra remains motionless. Everyone leans in closer, and just as they think all hope might truly be lost, Astra’s eyes spring wind open and she takes a deep gasp of air. Her chest begins to rise and fall rapidly as she sucks in oxygen. Alex breathes a huge sigh of relief. Astra scans the crowd gathered around her.

“How?” is Astra’s first word. “The Kryptonite – there was so much.”

The crowd parts so she can get a good look at Wanda.  

“Daisy said I could help,” Wanda says. “So, I helped.”

“Thank you,” Astra says earnestly. “I owe you my life.”

“I don’t know about all that,” Wanda says sheepishly. “Maybe just buy me dinner?”

Everyone laughs, and Astra smiles.

“Yes, I think I can manage that,” Astra says.

Alex, knowing now what Wanda is capable of, goes over and gently squeezes her upper arm.

“There’s one more person you need to treat,” Alex says.

They make their way over to where Sam is lying, prone, on the ground. The medical officers scatter, and Wanda kneels down by her. She repeats the same procedure, though halfway through, her face contorts in worry.

“What is it?” Alex asks, panic beginning to claw at her heart.

“Whatever holds her – it’s very ancient,” Wanda says. “And very powerful.”

“What does that mean?” Alex asks.

“It means that I’ll have to try a little harder,” Wanda says.

There’s more tension in Wanda’s movements this time, more strain. And the cloud of Kryptonite particles she removes from Sam’s body aren’t green, they’re a smoky black color, and they seem to move on their own accord in messy, chaotic patterns. Alex takes a cautious step backwards. Even Kara isn’t entirely sure what she’s seeing.

Wanda seems to be struggling to contain the Kryptonite. She grimaces, and her motions become wider, more exaggerated. The chaotic, dark cloud of Kryptonite is bathed in more and more layers of red light, until finally, Wanda points up at the sky. The Null Kryptonite is dispersed for good. Alex finally exhales.

Sam, too, wakes back up after a few tense moments. Alex rushes to hug her, holding her as tightly as she possibly can.

“Please don’t pass out on me anymore today,” Alex says.

“I promise,” Sam says.

“I might have something to help with that.”

Everyone turns to find the source of the new voice – it’s Lena, having just arrived from headquarters. Behind her is a DEO vehicle, the two pods that contain the new suits stashed in the back. Lena herself has changed into a sleek, form-fitting black combat suit.

“Lena!”

Kara rushes over to her and embraces her, holding her as tightly as she knows the human body can handle.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Kara says.

“It’s so good to see you,” Lena says, melting into the embrace.

Finally, they let go of one another, though they still gaze at one another like they haven’t seen each other in years. Alex almost hates to interrupt the moment, but they have an invasion to stop.

“Lena, the suits?” Alex interjects.

Lena clears her throat and nods.

“Yes, they’re in the truck,” Lena says. “Sam, Kara – go get changed.”

Kara and Sam both nod and head into the bathroom to change. As they’re leaving the rest of the group, Kara realizes that this is the most alone she and Sam have been since the incident with the Red Kryptonite. That all feels like millions of years ago now, with the invasion, but she knows that the wounds are still fresh for Sam.

They set up in stalls, side-by-side, and Kara wonders if she should say something. If the unthinkable happens, and one of them falls on the battlefield, Kara doesn’t want the memory of their fight to be their last together. She stares down at the bright, proud crest on her new suit, hoping that the symbol of the House of El can give her strength once more, as it has so many times before.

“Sam?” Kara finally speaks up, her voice soft and unsure. “Before we go back out there, I just wanted to say…”

“Kara,” Sam cuts her off. “I know what you’re going to say. I don’t want to think about the Red Kryptonite, or our fight, or anything right now.”

Kara feels like her heart freezes over all while the heat of shame burns at her.

“I’m sorry,” Kara is quick to say. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

Kara can hear Sam step out of her stall. Sam sighs and leans against the door to Kara’s stall, and all is silent as she tries to think of what to say.

“I’m not mad,” Sam says. “I just can’t be distracted right now. There’s too much on the line, and I have a hard enough time controlling my powers as it is. After we win, we’ll talk. Sound good?”

Kara exhales, her heartbeat returning to a reasonable level.

“Yeah, I understand,” Kara says. “You’re doing really well out there, Sam.”

“Thanks,” Sam says softly.

Kara double-checks the armor plating of her suit and clips her cape on, making her really feel like Supergirl. Finally, she steps out of her stall to see Sam in her new suit, the otherwise all-black ensemble offset by gold details. She looks good – like a true superhero.

Sam nods at her, and Kara returns the gesture. They make their way back to where the rest of the group is, walking side by side, Kara’s red-and-blue Supergirl suit next to Sam’s sleek black and gold Blackbird suit.

Lena walks up to the both of them.

“You look great, guys,” Lena says. “And, Kara, I know you aren’t big on masks or helmets, but to make sure the Kryptonite resistance actually works…”

Lena presents a gold, ornamental mask from behind her back. Kara gasps when she sees it.

“This is…” Kara begins to say.

“Based on the designs of ancient, ceremonial Kryptonian battle armor,” Lena says. “I got the design from your mother – or the hologram of her, at least. I thought it would help you feel more connected to your past.”

Kara smiles at her, her eyes shimmering.

“It does,” Kara says. “Thank you.”

Kara hugs Lena once again, and neither of them think they’ll ever tire of the sensation.

“And for you, Blackbird,” Lena says, producing another one. “I know you’re tied to the whole bird theme, but if you want…”

“Thank you,” Sam says, accepting the mask graciously. “It might be time I embraced my Kryptonian side.”

Sam gives Kara a look, and she smiles back at her, bright as the sun.

“I have one for your aunt, too,” Lena says. “I couldn’t redesign her whole suit, but I can at least give her this.”

“You’ve gone above and beyond,” Kara says. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t need to say anything right now,” Lena says. “Just make sure you kick some Daxamite ass.”

Kara grins.

“Oh, we will,” Kara says.

Daisy watches everything unfold with a smile on her face when she feels a soft touch on her forearm. She turns to see Jemma standing there beside her, the cube in its containment device tucked beneath her arm.

“Jemma!” Daisy greets. “What are you doing here?”

“Not happy to see me?” Jemma teases.

“Shouldn’t you be back at HQ, healing?” Daisy asks.

“Are you really going to lecture me about that?” Jemma asks. “I couldn’t stay cooped up in here. Even with one arm, I can assist their medical officers, and I can help plan and coordinate attacks.”

Daisy can’t help but smile fondly at her.

“Yeah, I know better than to try and stop you,” Daisy says, putting an arm around Jemma’s shoulders and pulling her in close. “I’m glad you’re still in the fight.”

“We both are,” Jemma says. “I consider that a minor miracle.”

“And you brought the cube with you?” Daisy asks.

“It was a risk I was willing to take,” Jemma says. “If we need to call on more extra-universal back-up, or if we think we can get back onboard a Daxamite dreadnaught and teleport it away, we’ll have the cube here with us.”

“Well, if there’s anyone’s decision-making here I trust, it’s yours,” Daisy says.

* * *

“This is a disaster,” Rhea rants, back aboard one of the Daxamite dreadnaughts. “A third of our invasion force wiped out. The cube, stolen. All of the Kryptonians are still alive, and they’ve gotten backup.”

Rhea growls and slams her fist against the wall, the metal reverberating from the intensity of the impact.

“We still have many soldiers left,” Mon-El says. “And, we have Maxwell Lord’s Kryptonite weaponry. We can still fight.”

“We can,” Rhea says. “But, the longer it takes, the more allies they can call upon. We could finish this fight in an instant, if we so desired.”

“Orbital bombardment?” Mon-El asks, and even he’s shocked that Rhea is suggesting that. “You wanted to make National City the crown jewel of the new Daxamite empire, not a smoldering ruin.”

“We can rebuild,” Rhea says. “If we enslave enough humans, we can force them to rebuild National City, make it reflect the great Daxamite cities of old!”

“Mother, please,” Mon-El says. “Let me beam down the remaining troops, and I will lead them against our enemies. If that fails, then do what you must. But give me a chance. I desire to conquer National City, to take its grand skyscrapers as our own.”

Rhea leans against a nearby console, her eyes narrowed. The room is dead silent for a moment too long for Mon-El’s comfort.

“Fine. Do what you must. Try to retake the cube,” Rhea says. “The moment you fail, though, I begin bombardment. Should you wish to survive, I suggest you not fail.”

Mon-El clenches his fists, but he holds his tongue as best he can.

“Fine,” Mon-El says, his voice strained. “Then I’ll see that I succeed.”  

Mon-El stalks off, heading to address the remaining troops of their invasion force, while Rhea remains behind. She taps her fingers against the console before turning to address the Daxamite officers in the room.

“Prepare for orbital bombardment,” Rhea says. “I want to be ready.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the closest officer says.

The room springs in to action, preparing the dreadnaughts to make a quick ascent into low orbit and readying the kinetic weaponry to be fired. Rhea slowly walks over to the wall of display screens, which show the city below. She wants to conquer, not destroy, as well, but she’ll do what she musts. And decimating Supergirl’s beloved city would feel almost as good as seizing control of it, as well.

* * *

As the rest of the group is preparing, Alex’s comms device crackles to life. It’s Lucy on the other end.

“Alex, we need to talk,” Lucy says. “Things are getting out of hand. The damage to the city is serious, and I have a handful of government bureaucrats breathing down my neck. They want to finish this thing fast.”

Alex sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose.

“Fast, huh?” Alex asks. “I assume they want us to pump enough lead in the air to poison our water supplies for years to come.”

“They do,” Lucy says bluntly. “I’m trying to stall them as best as I can, but if this fight drags on for too long, they’re going to give the order regardless of what I say.”

“And regardless if we’re still in the fight, too,” Alex says. “Keep stalling, Luce. And thanks for the heads up.”

“You got it,” Lucy says. “And, Alex?”

“Yeah?”

“Be careful out there.”

* * *

“Ma’am, the Daxamite forces are amassing,” a DEO agent says, poking his head into the room.

Alex nods.

“So be it,” Alex says.

She takes a deep breath and turns to speak to the assembled group of agents and superheroes. They’ve amassed quite a lineup. There are the three Kryptonians, of course, Kara, Sam, and Astra, looking as intimidating as can be in their new armor. There are the Agents of SHIELD, Daisy and Jemma, who have proven time and time again just how incredible and frighteningly capable they are. The scuffs and gashes on Daisy’s armor is only a testament to her willingness to throw herself into every fight. There’s their guest, too, Wanda Maximoff, whose strange powers are beyond even what the Kryptonians are capable of, in certain ways. And, of course, there’s Barry Allen and Sara Lance, the fastest man alive and the time traveler.

Maybe their odds aren’t so bad.

“I’m not one for speeches, so I won’t waste your time with one here,” Alex says. “We have a job to do. Protect National City and protect the world. Let’s go and do our job.”

Everyone gathered around her nods and voices their assent. The room is bristling with energy so intense that it seems to arc from person to person like electricity. Nobody in that room doesn’t think that they can save the world entire.

“Hell yeah,” Daisy says. “Let’s do this.”

* * *

“Agent Vasquez, could you help me with something?” Lena asks, taking her aside.

“What do you need, Ms. Luthor?” Vasquez asks.

Lena hands her what appears to be a simple, smooth metal rod, about the size of a relay baton. Vasquez turns it over in her hands, finding it to be surprisingly heavy for its size, though this gives no other clues to what it’s meant for.

“When the time is right, can I trust you to attach this to the side of a building?” Lena asks. “I’ll direct you to the correct one.”

Lena produces another of the strange device from behind her back.

“They work in tandem,” Lena says. “I’ll be placing the other one and priming the device.”

“Of course,” Vasquez says. “But, what do they do?”

Lena smiles at her and begins explaining the function of the devices. Before long, Vasquez is smiling, too.

* * *

The assembled superheroes, the remaining DEO agents, and their military back-up all make their way out onto the street. Alex notes, with some humor, that they’re fighting right on Main Street, in front of the L-Corp building. The Daxamite armies have amassed on the far side of the street, spilling onto adjacent streets and alleyways, their numbers far into the thousands.

“That’s a lot of bad guys,” Sara says.

“Not worried, Lance, are you?” Alex asks.

Sara shrugs.

“Well, I don’t exactly have any superpowers,” Sara says. “So, I have some concerns.”

“Hey, we’ve faced worse odds and won,” Kara says. “Wait, have we?”

“Let’s just say yes, little one,” Astra says. “That sounds better.”

“I think I have,” Wanda says. “Fighting Ultron. It felt like we were outnumbered a million to one.”

“Let’s all follow her lead, then,” Daisy says.

Daisy clenches her fists and flexes her arms. Everyone, even Astra, the hardened general, is impressed by Daisy’s ability to shake off injuries and leap back into the fight.

“What are they waiting for?” Sam asks.

Almost as if to answer her question, a single Daxamite makes his way to the front of the amassed army. Mon-El. He locks eyes with Kara and flashes an ugly, cruel smile. Kara’s expression turns dark and she slides on her new, Kryptonite-resistant mask, its gold detailing glittering in the sun.

“Supergirl,” Mon-El calls out. “I hope you haven’t forgotten me!”

“Mon-El,” she spits. “How could I? You’re just so memorable.”

“Oh, I agree,” he says. “You know, this is all your fault.”

Kara clenches her fists and it looks like she can barely restrain herself when he throws that accusation at her.

“My fault?” Kara asks. “How is this possibly my fault?”

“If you just worked harder at our relationship,” Mon-El says. “If you were just more understanding of my love for you, then I wouldn’t have lost it completely! You drove me right back into my mother’s arms!”

Kara’s fury is almost palpable as Mon-El speaks, her fists clenched so tightly that it looks painful.

“Alex,” Kara says. “Permission to beat him up?”

“Please do,” Alex says.

Going off like a gunshot, Kara shoots through the air straight at Mon-El, her fists extended in front of her. Before he can react, Kara’s fists connect, driving him back into his army and knocking the soldiers behind him over like bowling pins.

“Everyone!” Alex shouts. “Now!”

All of the gathered superheroes begin charging at the Daxamite army. Barry Allen, being who he is, is already at the frontlines, using his superspeed to disarm every single soldier he can get his hands on.  

“Sam, could I get a lift?” Daisy asks.

Sam nods and grabs her hand, lifting her up as she soars above the gathered Daxamite army. Once they’re right above the middle of the mass of people, Daisy lets go and plummets towards the street. She brings her fist back behind her head and watches as the Daxamites begin to take notice of her streaking down towards them. They all begin to clear the area, but it won’t do them much good. Daisy brings her fist down against the asphalt, waves of vibrational energy bursting out from fist like ripples in a pond, sending hundreds of soldiers crashing to the ground. Sam lands just behind her, surveying the destruction.

“Not bad,” Sam says.

“Thanks,” Daisy says. “That was fun.”

Behind them, Astra is making short work of the decimated frontlines of the army. Given that most of them have been disarmed by Barry or simply bowled over by Daisy, they’re absolutely no match for a Kryptonian at full strength. And Astra isn’t just any Kryptonian, she can draw upon her decades of battle experience to take down any threats standing in her way. She moves with such swiftness that she can’t even be tracked by the human eye – she’s just a blur flitting from soldier to soldier, knocking them out one after another with mechanical precision.

She’s joined by Wanda, who uses her powers to clear out whole swathes of soldiers at once. The Daxamites just don’t know what to do with her. With no specialized weaponry and absolutely no idea how her powers work, she’s able to just have a field day with them. Her powers allow her to both block bullets while also sending bunches of Daxamites flying.

And above, Kara is speeding upwards with Mon-El trapped in her vice-like grip. Though the speed at which she’s flying and the resulting wind resistance makes it hard, Mon-El manages to reach down to his utility belt and pull out a Kryptonite grenade.

“Come on, sweetheart,” Mon-El growls. “Don’t forget that I know all of your weaknesses.”

He sets the grenade off right between them, the green cloud of Kryptonite bursting in the air and trailing beneath them as Kara continues to fly upwards. The smug look on Mon-El’s face is quickly replaced by one of fear as he realizes that the grenade has had absolutely no effect on Kara, the green vapors from the grenade trailing harmlessly away from her mask.

“Sorry about that,” Kara says. “You can thank Lena for this latest failure of yours. My new suit is Kryptonite resistant!”

Kara cocks her fist back and catches Mon-El’s chin in a devastating uppercut, launching him even further upwards. Eventually, gravity gets a hold of him, and before it can start dragging him back down to Earth, Kara decides to help it out by torqueing her whole body and slamming her fist into his chest. He’s launched back down to the street with such force it’s as if he’s been shot out of a cannon. He lands amongst a group of Daxamite soldiers, sending them scattering like autumn leaves, his heavy armor the only thing protecting him from more serious injury.

The superheroes have managed to take down the first battalion of Daxamite soldiers, but it appears as if the next one has plans for them. They spread out, raise their rifles – the lead-lined, Kryptonite-bullet models from Lord – and prepare to fire. Kara freezes in place. She knows that her suit is resistant, but she’s not sure if even Lena could make something that would stand up to a barrage of Kryptonite bullets.

“Vasquez, now!”

Kara’s eyes widen as she realizes who just said that – it’s Lena, who has tucked herself into an alleyway, with a strange, metal rod affixed to the building just next to her. Vasquez is in the alleyway across the street from her, a similar metal rod next to her.

The two rods project an iridescent, translucent energy screen that connects in the middle of the street, separating the superheroes from the Daxamites. The Daxamites proceed to fire their weapons, but the Kryptonite bullets appear to dissolve and dissipate the moment they hit the energy screen. Lena pumps her fist in victory – her device works.

“What is that?” Sam asks.

“The next stage of my anti-Kryptonite technology,” Lena says. “It breaks down Kryptonite on a molecular level, which works, as it turns out, on bullets.”

“Wait, ‘as it turns out?’” Daisy asks. “You haven’t tested this thing?”

Lena shrugs.

“Not with so many bullets,” Lena says.

“Oh, man,” Daisy says. “You’re just as bad as Jemma.”

“Compliment accepted,” Lena says.

“What do we do about all of the Daxamites with guns?” Barry asks. “They’re not just going to stay behind that barrier forever.”

“Yeah, they’re already beginning to flank us,” Sara says, pointing out groups of soldiers making their way down side-streets and alleyways. “We need to act fast.”

“I’ll take the right,” Wanda says. “Barry, do you want to take the left?”

“Uh, sure,” Barry says. “I’m always game for suggestions.”

“Don’t leave a single soldier with a gun in their hands,” Wanda says. “C’mon, it’ll be easy.”

With that, Wanda walks off down a side-street. Barry just stares after her for a moment before shrugging and using his superspeed to go off as well. The sound of fighting and Daxamites shouting over one another, each trying to figure out what’s going on, rises all about them. But, after a few moments, all is silent.

“It’s quiet,” Daisy says. “Do we want it to be quiet?”

As if to answer her question, a sphere of red energy encasing what appears to be hundreds of assault rifles floats out above the street, before the sphere of energy implodes. The rifles are crushed and made entirely useless.

Wanda calmly walks back to the group, while Barry Allen speeds back.

“See?” Wanda asks. “Easy.”

So, with the rifles gone, the battle for National City comes down to a fist fight with the rest of the Daxamite army. Finally, the odds have shifted in their favor.

Even the Daxamite soldiers themselves have seemed to sense how the momentum has changed, given the way they stay rigidly in formation and refuse to charge into attack. The superheroes stand shoulder-to-shoulder across the street, the sun at their backs. People in the buildings above begin to open up their windows and lean outside to see what’s happening, all of them hoping that their guardians can keep their city safe yet again. Above, seagulls circle lazily in the sky, seemingly undaunted by the army below.

Wanda floats down from up above to stand next to the rest of them, her body enveloped by a strange, red aura. Daisy stands there proudly, her black armor scuffed and scratched but her spirit remaining unbroken. The three Kryptonites stand side-by-side, their golden, Kryptonian masks on, making them look even more intimidating than they normally do. Kara and Sam’s capes both flap in the wind, red next to black. Barry drops down into a loose runner’s stance, with Speed Force energy arcing off his body. Sara has her batons resting against her shoulders, looking down the street at the Daxamites disdainfully.

Daisy looks to her left, and then to her right. Being out here in the light, with superheroes of all kind by her side and the citizens of the city looking on with hope in their hearts, is a new, strange feeling. In all her time with SHIELD, she’s never done anything quite like this. Even after everything that’s happened, a grin finds its way to her face.

“What’s on your mind?” Kara asks.

“Oh, nothing much,” Daisy says. “Just thinking about saving this whole damn city.”

Kara grins back at her.

“I hear you,” Kara says. “Shall we?”

Daisy nods.

“Let’s do this.”

They all begin sprinting down the street towards the remains of the Daxamite army, with the Kryptonians soaring above. Barry zips forward at the speed of light, catching the unprepared frontline of the army completely off guard. He uppercuts the first soldier he comes across – the soldier flies into the air and is caught by Sam, who slams him back down into the asphalt.

Kara rockets down into the middle of the army, knocking several soldiers back with the concussive force of her landing. She speeds towards one soldier and catches him with a punch to the head. He stumbles backward, only to be caught by another punch to the side of the head from Astra. Sam finishes him off with a front-kick right to his chest. He flies backwards, knocking several of his fellow soldiers over in the process.

Back towards the ruined frontline of the army, Daisy and Sara have finally caught up with their superpowered counterparts and are working together to take down any Daxamite they come across. Daisy dodges two wild punches from a nearby soldier, spins, and takes his feet out from beneath him. Sara leaps in, slamming both batons down on his head, taking him out for good.

The pair corners another Daxamite soldier, who foolishly tries to take them both on by himself. Sara, to the soldier’s right, cracks him across the head with her baton. He tries to retaliate, only for Daisy, to his left, to kick at the back of his leg, sending him down to one knee. Sara brings her baton in a brutal downward swing against his head once again. He tries to block the next blow, but Sara simply tosses one of her batons to Daisy, who finishes him off with a strike to the back of his head.

The Daxamites actually begin fighting back, though, as one of them momentarily stuns Daisy by punching her in the back of the head, before another kicks her square in the back. She flies forward, goes into a combat roll, and spins around with one knee on the ground as she unsheathes the two swords hidden in her gauntlets. The Daxamites quickly realize the mistake they just made as Daisy makes quick work of them, with one slash each with her lead-infused swords being enough to take them both down.

Feeling that the battlefield has gotten a little too crowded, Daisy slams her palm against the asphalt and releases vibrational energy in waves that flings the Daxamites up into the air. Wanda comes in, though, and uses her powers to slam them back down against the ground, knocking them all out. Daisy looks up at her and grins. Wanda nods back at her.

On the far end of the street, Kara and Barry are making quick work of whole swathes of Daxamite soldiers by blitzing them with their super speed. They both simply sprint in straight lines, their fists outstretched, and use their superior speed to just knock some heads in. Kara and Barry, being who they are, find the time to high-five in between knocking the Daxamites unconscious.

Sam and Astra have found themselves fighting side-by-side, their black suits standing out in contrast to everything else around them. Between Astra’s considerable fighting experience and Sam’s enhanced powers that make her stronger and faster than even Kara herself, they knife through the opposition with terrifying ease. Even in the short time they’ve been fighting together they’re already completely comfortable working with one another, nearly to the point that their attacks seem to be of one mind. The Daxamites are completely outclassed against them.

Alex and the remains of the combat-ready DEO agents, who originally held back to act as support, now realize that they’re completely unneeded in this conflict. The Daxamites hardly seem to get any blows in against the superheroes they’re facing against.

* * *

“This isn’t working,” Rhea says to herself. “Mon-El, that fool. There’s no way we could take down three Kryptonians.”

She shakes her head, her arms folded tightly across her chest.

“You,” Rhea says, staring at the nearest Daxamite officer.

“Yes, ma’am?” he asks.

“Ready a fighter ship,” Rhea says. “I have to go and pick something up.”

“Ma’am,” he says, nodding, and walks off towards the ship’s hangar.

“And, you,” Rhea says, looking at another officer. “Begin orbital bombardment in five minutes.”

The officer opens his mouth as if to protest but thinks better of it. He nods and returns to his station. Rhea surveys the room for a moment, nods, and begins stalking off towards the hangar herself.

* * *

“The ships are leaving,” Daisy says, staring upwards. “That’s what we want, right?”

“I don’t know,” Astra says. “They’re leaving behind so many of their soldiers. They must have something planned.”

Just then, their earpieces crackle to life.

“Can one of the Kryptonians get eyes on those dreadnaughts?” Alex asks over the radio. “I don’t like the look of this.”

“On it,” Kara says.

Kara clenches her fists, kneels down, and shoots upwards, her cape fluttering behind her.

“I have an idea,” Sam says. “Wait here.”

Sam speeds off into the battlefield, and returns with a semi-conscious Mon-El. She slaps him hard across the face, enough to bring him back to some level of awareness.

“What? Who?” he sputters. “Oh, you. Worldkiller.”

“Shut up,” Sam says. “The dreadnaughts have taken off. Why?”

“What are you saying?” Mon-El asks, blinking heavily as he tries to focus.

“The dreadnaughts!” Daisy says. “They’ve left. They just started flying upwards. What are they doing?”

It takes a moment for Mon-El to process what she’s saying, but once he does, all of the color seems to drain from his face and his expression becomes that of complete and utter fear.

“No,” Mon-El says. “No, she can’t. Not yet. Rhea!”

* * *

Kara quickly catches up with the dreadnaughts, which are all slowly ascending. They pass through the clouds and through the upper bounds of the atmosphere until they’re all sitting in low orbit, still directly above National City. Kara, confused, uses her X-Ray vision on the dreadnaughts.

Amongst all of the moving parts in the ships, there is something that stands out to her. Huge, metal rods, contained in what appear to be missile silos, are rotating until they’re facing downwards. Kara furrows her brow.

“No,” Kara says, a look of realization coming across her face. “It can’t be. She wouldn’t.”

But then, the first rod is dropped from the dreadnaught. It’s slow, at first, but once it enters the atmosphere and gravity really starts to pull at it, even Kara would have a hard time catching up. Adrenaline spikes throughout her entire body as she flies towards the rod, faster than she’s ever flown before. The rod is heavy, but out here, so close to the sun, it’s nothing she can’t handle. She uses her super strength to push the road upwards, sending it drifting lazily through space.

Another rod drops, though, and she speeds over to do the same to that one. In the time it takes her to take care of that rod, though, two more have dropped. And then four more. As Kara slowly spins in place, the enormous, devastatingly heavy rods falling like raindrops through the upper atmosphere. Even with all of her powers, there’s just no way she can stop them all.

“Rao, save us,” Kara murmurs.

* * *

“Orbital bombardment?” Lena asks, bewildered. “What – what can be done?”

If Lena’s asking that, what hope is there? Daisy squeezes her eyes shut and tries to think of what Jemma would do in this situation. To Jemma, there’s no situation so impossible that there isn’t a way out, some brilliant solution to be pulled out of thin air. Just thinking of Jemma begins to help, as she begins to pull fragments of what she’s said and disparate memories together. There’s her training with Jemma, her training to improve her powers. The experience she just had on the Daxamite dreadnaught, where she made the room burst into nothingness. And then, of course, that night with Jemma, in the hot tub in Lena’s penthouse.

_“Never doubt who you are, Daisy. You possess incredible gifts.”_

Distinctly, in her mind’s eye, Daisy can picture Jemma from that night, her hair slicked back with water and her beautiful features delicately captured by the light of the moon. It’s as close to perfect as a memory can get.

Daisy opens her eyes. She knows what she needs to do.

“Wanda, can you create a barrier around the city?” Daisy asks.

“I can, but I don’t know if I could hold it,” Wanda says. “Not with what we’re facing.”

“That’s fine,” Daisy says. “Just do it, and I’ll figure out the rest. Sam, I need you to fly me up to the tallest building in the city, I’ll take the rest from there.”

“Daisy…”

“No, I know what needs to be done,” Daisy says. “After you drop me off, you and Astra can go and help Kara up above. I’m sure she’s trying to stop as many of those rods as she can, and she’ll need all the help she can get.”

“What about the rest of us?” Sara asks.

Daisy sighs heavily.

“I’m sorry,” Daisy says. “You’ll just have to wait. I don’t think we have time to evacuate.”

“No,” Barry says.

All eyes turn to him.

“No, I have time,” Barry says. “I’ll get as many people out of the city as I can. I’ll have to run as fast as I can – no, faster. But, I can do it.”

Daisy nods at him.

“Okay, that’s that,” Daisy says. “Let’s do this. We don’t have much time.”

Everyone springs into action. Sam grabs Daisy and flies her up to the top of the L-Corp building – the tallest in the city. Sam reaches out to squeeze her arm comfortingly, before deciding to just hug her instead. Daisy squeezes her back tightly, tears threatening to spill out from the corners of her eyes.

“You can do this,” is all that Sam says before she flies up to help Kara.

Daisy nods.

“I can do this,” she says.

Daisy takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. She raises both hands upwards and sends out pulse after pulse of vibrational energy upwards. She senses everything – the clouds, birds soaring on wind currents, a plan passing overhead – everything, the universe entire. And then, she reaches her powers out a little further, and senses the metal rods, plummeting towards the city, dragged down by the force of gravity acting upon their extreme weight. She feels them, feels their shape, their weight, the intensity of their speed as they speed towards the ground.

Daisy exhales. She tries to think of her training with Jemma. Of every encouraging word, every comforting gesture, every warm smile. She lets Jemma fill her mind as much as the sensation of the deadly, metal rods cylinders do.

Daisy inhales.

This is it.

Daisy exhales, and feels every molecule, feels the way they vibrate at their own frequency. She feels the way they’re connected, the way they’re held together. It’s just as Jemma explained. With her powers, she can sense everything.

And then, she shifts her powers, and breaks the bonds between the molecules. It’s surprisingly easy. Her mind is calm and almost completely empty. She senses the rods simply dissipating, the particles floating off in the atmosphere.

Finally, Daisy opens her eyes once more. All she sees is the beautiful, blue, National City sky, with only a few wispy clouds floating by and the sun, high above. She takes a deep breath, filling her lungs with air. Could this really be it? Have her powers truly come through for her?

Just as she’s about to relax, small, orange come into view. She furrows her brow, unsure of what they could be, until she realizes that it’s even more metal rods, ones she didn’t even sense, burning up on re-entry. Daisy squeezes her eyes shut and lifts her hands once again, trying to repeat the same procedure, but it’s too late. She can’t focus, and the metal cylinders are just too close to impact.

There’s a thin film of red energy creating a dome around the city, but it flickers in and out of view, clearly not enough to protect against the impact of orbital bombardment. And, speeding towards the projectiles are the three Kryptonians. They’re still fighting to save the city, but even they won’t be enough. There are simply too many projectiles for even them to deal with. Barry is out there too, trying his hardest to evacuate the entire city singlehandedly, but even with his superspeed Daisy doubts that he can save everyone. Daisy’s thoughts turn back to Jemma as the rods come closer and closer to crushing National City.

And then, there’s a bright flash of brilliant white light, encompassing all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man what's happening???


	10. take your time (coming home)

Daisy, who had shut her eyes reflexively at the flash of light, opens them once again. She takes in her surroundings and she’s surprised to find that she’s still even alive and that the city seems still be intact. But, just to remind her that she’s never safe, the whole city seems to flicker out of view for a split second.

“What the hell?” Daisy asks.

As she takes a closer look at the skyline, she realizes that all of the buildings are constantly blinking in and out of view. Even when they’re visible, they’re see-through, as if they’re not truly there. She can feel the strain as her mind desperately tries to process the visual information that her eyes are producing.

She happens to looks back up into the sky, and is greeted by the horrifying sight of a searing-hot metal rod right above her, plummeting towards the ground. She screams and flinches – and feels nothing.

She looks down to see the rod impacting the earth, sending up chunks of rock and a plume of dust and smoke high into the air, but it too is gauzy and translucent, flitting in and out of view.

“Jemma,” Daisy says. “You didn’t.”

Daisy leaps off the building and uses her powers to slow her fall and cushion her landing. She sees that almost everyone is still here, at least, and does a quick mental roll-call. Sara, Barry, Alex, Lena, Vasquez, as well as a few other DEO agents and hundreds of Daxamite soldiers, are all present. The Kryptonians are nowhere to be found.

“Daisy!” Lena exclaims. “You’re alive!”

Lena runs over to her and gathers her up in a big hug. Daisy squeezes back just as tightly, happy to find that Lena is far more solid than the buildings around them seem to be.

“You’re okay, too,” Daisy says. “Thank goodness.”

“I’m glad to see you guys, too,” Sara says. “But, can someone tell me what the hell is going on?”

“Yeah, and where are the Kryptonians?” Alex asks.

“I have an idea about that,” Daisy says. “We have to get back to Jemma. Now.” 

Daisy begins running down the street, and the others are quick to follow her.

The strange, anomalous visual phenomena get worse the closer they get to Jemma’s most recent location. Buildings flash in and out of view like someone is flipping a light switch repeatedly. The same goes for the aftermath of the orbital bombardment – they see flashes of plumes of dirt and chunks of rock soaring through the air, as well, intermittently. Sometimes, the two images become superimposed on one another in perfect clarity, creating a surreal, indecipherable atmosphere. But, more rarely, the surroundings change into, seemingly, a third location – an empty, lonely desert, with absolutely nothing around. 

Daisy begins running faster, her eyesight betraying her entirely as everything flits from one version of reality to another. She sees a chunk of rock falling towards her, and instinctively raises her hand to blast it away. It doesn’t work, of course, since the rock isn’t really there, but her vibrational powers seem to have another effect. They stop the world around her from flicking in and out of view and seem to hold the universe steady. 

“You can move between universes by finding the right frequency,” Daisy says beneath her breath, before raising her voice. “Guys! Follow me!”

Daisy raises her hand and shoots out continuous waves of energy, which has the effect of keeping the view of the city steady. Everyone falls in line behind her.

“How are you doing that?” Alex asks.

“I’m not sure,” Daisy answers truthfully.

Finally, they make their way to the building lobby where they had set up an emergency camp. Daisy can feel the universe – or universes, likely – wanting to slip away from her, and she strains as she’s forced to increase the intensity of her vibrational powers. She sees the wreckage all around her and begins to piece together what had happened here. Rhea is lying on the ground, wounded and unconscious, with several DEO agents strewn about around her. There’s evidence of a serious fight, with bullet casings and scorch marks on every surface.

In the distance, Daisy can see the cube, with Jemma lying next to it. The closer she gets to them, a thrumming picks up in her ears, and though she’s pushing her powers to dangerous levels, she can barely see the world around her. But it’s Jemma, and she looks injured, and there’s no way Daisy is can just leave here there. So, one step after the other, Daisy makes her way over to her. Her bones ache, her teeth rattle, and reality itself seems to want to tear itself apart, but none of that will keep her away from Jemma.

Up close, it’s clear that the cube is in a state of disrepair. Cracks that shine through with pure, white light cover the surface like spiderwebs, and Daisy hardly wants to think about what would happen if it shatters entirely. She kneels next to Jemma to find her barely holding on to consciousness.

“Jemma. Jemma!” Daisy shouts, shaking her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Jemma groans, her eyes bleary and unfocused.

“Daisy?” she asks, her voice weak. “Is that you?”

“It’s me,” Daisy says. “I’m here. What happened?”

“Rhea she – she showed up here, ranting about the cube and orbital bombardment,” Jemma says. “She wanted to crush all of National City, and I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t, Daisy.”

“I know,” Daisy says. “I know. I understand.”

Jemma takes a deep breath.

“So, I used the cube,” Jemma says. “It wasn’t designed for a target so large.”

“A target – wait, Jemma, what do you mean?” Daisy asks.

“The city,” Jemma says. “I moved the whole city.”

“Oh my god,” Daisy says. “Is that why we’re seeing – whatever it is we’re seeing?”

“It is,” Jemma says. “What we’re seeing is a superposition of the city itself, the location where the city once was, and the location I moved the city to.”

“I can’t believe this,” Daisy says. “Where did you move the city?”

“Just an empty desert in our world,” Jemma says. “First place I could think of.”

Daisy shakes her head and is about to ask another question when she hears a high-pitched whine, coming from her left. She turns to see that the cube has fractured even further and seems to be on the verge of breaking entirely.

“We have to go,” Jemma says. “I don’t know what’s going to happen when that thing bursts, and I don’t really want to be right next to it when it does.”

Daisy nods and picks Jemma up in her arms. She rushes out of the building, the whining growing louder and louder until it’s all-encompassing, seeming to be coming from the inside of their heads instead of the cube. She sprints as fast as her legs can carry her, the three superpositions switching back and forth without rhyme or reason. Finally, when the whining noise can’t seem to get any louder, it’s cut off by the sound of an explosion, followed by another flash of white light.

* * *

Daisy comes to slowly, opening her eyes to see a bright, blue sky above her. She stares upwards for a moment, comforted by the presence of white, fluffy clouds and the sun, high and bright in the sky. Slowly, ambient sounds make themselves known - the rush of wind down city streets, faint, idle chatter, birds chirping. Finally, Daisy pushes herself up to her elbows and surveys the scene around her.

Like her, the rest of the superheroes and DEO agents are slowly coming to, getting bearings on their surroundings and trying to make sense of everything that just happened. The Kryptonians are back, having been flung down from space. Daisy sees Jemma lying on the asphalt a few feet away from her, and she crawls over to her. Jemma, frankly, has handled in the past week more than most do in a lifetime, and it shows. And, to make matters worse, blood has started to ooze from her wound, staining her cast a dark red.

“Jemma,” Daisy says. “Jemma, please.”

Daisy can feel tears begin to streak down her cheeks, washing away the dirt and grime and blood that had been caked onto her face.

“Come back to me,” Daisy whispers.

By now, everyone else has gathered around the two of them, their head bowed as if in reverent prayer. The seconds seem to drag on as Jemma simply lies there, far more peaceful than the situation surrounding her.

“Jemma,” Daisy says again. “C’mon. The bus kids always make it through, right?”

There’s another beat of absolute silence before Jemma sucks in a deep gulp of air, her eyes shooting wide open. Daisy rolls onto her back and lets out the breath she didn’t even realize she was holding in. All around them, the gathered superheroes and DEO agents smile and express their thoughts of relief. Jemma coughs, clutching at her lungs.

“Sorry to dramatically come back to consciousness again,” Jemma says. “You know me, though. Always have to make a scene.”

Daisy just stares at her for a moment, before laughter erupts from deep within her. She knows that now is probably not the right time to be laughing, but she just can’t help herself, her relief over Jemma refusing to come out in any other way.

Thankfully, though, Jemma joins in as well, laughing until tears of mirth stream down her cheeks. Daisy doesn’t think she’s ever been more beautiful.

“Oh, you mad scientist,” Daisy says. “Please don’t ever send a city through different dimensions ever again.”

“No promises,” Jemma says.

They can’t help but laugh together again. Eventually, though, Alex kneels down by the both of them.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Jemma,” she says. “But, I have to ask – can you explain what happened?”  

“Just look,” Jemma says, pointing to the lobby where the cube once was.

The building has seen better days – the lobby is completely blown out, and windows going up several stories have been completely shattered. There are cracks snaking up the building’s entire structure and it looks a stiff breeze away from coming down entirely. But, shooting up to the sky, from where the cube once was, is a brilliant, pure, white beam of light.

“What the hell is that?” Alex asks.

“Let me show you,” Jemma says. “Daisy, could you help me up?”

Daisy, dumbfounded, does as she’s asked, putting Jemma’s arm around her shoulders and supporting her body weight.

“Okay, we’re going to walk right into that beam of light,” Jemma says.

“And that’s, y’know, safe?” Daisy asks.

Jemma grins crookedly at her.

“Do you trust me?” she asks.

“Absolutely,” Daisy answers immediately.

“Then, let’s go,” Jemma says.

They make their way over to the strange beam of light with everyone else following behind them; all of them, save for Jemma, are unsure of what exactly is going on. The beam of light is even more brilliant up close, and Daisy finds that she can’t look directly into it without hurting her eyes. She’s feeling deeply apprehensive about this, but Jemma is still confidently trudging towards the beam, so she figures she has a plan. As always.

Daisy can feel her whole body starting to freeze up as they get to about a few paces away from the beam, but Jemma isn’t showing any signs of stopping. So, Daisy doesn’t, either. They step into the beam of light, together.

And disappear from view, altogether.

“Should we be concerned?” Kara asks.

Lena gives her a knowing smile.

“Don’t worry,” she says. “I think I know what Jemma is up to.”

* * *

Daisy and Jemma step out of the beam of light and right into the SHIELD lab where everything started. Daisy is so shocked that her legs nearly give out from beneath her.

“What – how – we’re back,” Daisy says. “This is the lab. We’re here. How are we here?”

“It’s the cube’s doing,” Jemma says. “When it shattered, it tore right through our two universes, leaving an opening behind.”

“An opening?” Daisy asks. “What are you talking about?”

“When the cube shattered, everything reset – National City returned to its rightful place on the waterfront, but that beam of light was left behind,” Jemma says. “It’s acting as a portal between our two universes.”

“A portal,” Daisy echoes. “Are you saying we can travel between the two universes at will?”

“Yes, precisely,” Jemma says. 

“Wow – I can’t believe it,” Daisy says, running a hand through her hair. “So, our worlds are just connected, now?”

“That’s what I believe,” Jemma says. “I’ll have to run some tests, but the beam seems to be remarkably stable.”

Daisy lets it all sink in and a smile breaks out across her face.

“So, we can see them whenever we want to,” Daisy says. “Kara and Lena and everybody.”

“We can,” Jemma says. “And they can visit us.”

“This is amazing,” Daisy says. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“It almost seems too good to be true,” Jemma says.

“Oh, wow,” Daisy says. “Wait, what happened to the cube that we had?”

Jemma shrugs.

“That I’m not quite sure about,” Jemma says. “It’s vanished, replaced by another beam of light, as you can see. I think that what I did by moving the city was so taxing that our cube also shattered, in response. It’s likely that’s what’s making the connection between our universes so stable.”

“Well, I guess I can let you and Lena figure that one out,” Daisy says. “So, you want to go back and share the good news with everyone?”

“I can hardly wait,” Jemma says.

They step back into the beam of light.

* * *

Kara, who has been examining the beam with her X-Ray vision, nearly jumps out of her boots when Daisy and Jemma come walking back through it. Kara stammers in shock until Jemma calms her down and explains what’s happening with the connection between their two universes. Kara reacts much like Daisy did, no doubt already mentally planning game nights and bar-hopping adventures with the two of them in mind. She also, naturally, hugs them both so tightly that they can hardly breathe.

“You do realize that she’s going to be visiting you constantly, right?” Alex asks the two of them as Kara is off talking to Lena and bouncing with excitement.

“Oh, certainly,” Jemma says.

“We’re going to be visiting you guys even more,” Daisy says. “Especially if Lena keeps letting us stay in her penthouses.”

Alex rolls her eyes.

“Spoiled, the both of you,” Alex says.

“Blame Lena,” Daisy says, shrugging.

“Hey, but to be serious, I’m glad we’ll still be able to see the two of you,” Alex says. “You’ve done some amazing work here, and there’s no way we could’ve stopped the Daxamites without you.”

“You haven’t stopped the Daxamites!”

Everyone turns to see that Rhea has regained consciousness.

“You may have stopped us this time, but I’ll be back,” Rhea says. “I’ll return with an even bigger army and crush this pathetic city into dust! Mon-El!”

Rhea waits for her dutiful son to return to her side, but she receives no response.

“Mon-El?” Rhea asks.

“Your great Daxamite army has fled. But don’t worry, we’ll be chasing them down,” Kara says. “I guess that’s what you get when you decide to crush your own men.”

“Good luck winning them over again,” Astra says. “Your cruelty and desperation have been truly revealed to them.”

“Oh, and your precious cube has been destroyed,” Sam says. “So, you’re not going anywhere.”

Rhea glares at all of them, trying to maintain her prideful visage.

“But, my son,” Rhea says. “Where is he?”

“Oh, him?” Vasquez asks, stepping forward.

She looks back at a few DEO agents and nods. They rush off and quickly return with Mon-El, whose wrists and ankles have been secured in lead cuffs.

“Hello, mother,” Mon-El says bitterly. “So good to see you’re still okay.”

“Mon-El,” Rhea says. “Don’t worry. We can get out of this. I have a plan.”

“No more plans,” Mon-El says. “I never should have listened to you.”

Rhea narrows her eyes at him before turning to face Alex.

“What will become of him?” Rhea asks.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Alex says. “We’ll find a nice cell for him. But, you should be asking what will happen to you.”

Rhea clenches her fists, but before she can try anything, Vasquez raises her ICER and fires, knocking her unconscious. She slumps pathetically to the ground.

“Well, good riddance,” Kara says.

* * *

 

“And Ruby is okay?” Kara asks.

Sam nods. The two of them are back at the alien bar – just the two of them. Finally, they both feel like they’re in the right place to talk about the Red Kryptonite incident.

“Ruby is doing just fine,” Sam says. “Crazy girl said she wanted powers of her own to help us out in the fight.”

“She’s tough,” Kara says. “And, y’know, she is half Kryptonian, technically. Her powers could still develop.”

“Oh man, don’t remind me,” Sam says. “Lena was saying the same thing the other day. I don’t know if I could handle a teenager with flight powers and heat vision.”

“And a Kryptonian appetite, too,” Kara says. “You could always talk to my mom if that day ever comes. I still have no idea how she managed me.”

“Yeah, Alex has so many stories of teenage Kara Danvers,” Sam says, grinning. “You were quite a handful.”

“Still am, I think,” Kara says.

Kara takes a long sip of her cocktail.

“So, can we talk about the, y’know, the incident?” Kara asks. “I have a lot to get off my chest about that.”

“Yeah, that’s what we’re here for,” Sam says. “I’d hate to leave that hanging between us forever.”

“Okay,” Kara says, nodding. “Okay.”

Kara swallows nervously, her heart beginning to thud against her ribcage.

“I was talking to Daisy about this the other day, and she was saying – anyway, that’s not important,” Kara says. “What’s important is that I just want to say that I’m sorry. Red Kryptonite is weird. It’s kind of like getting way too drunk in that you just have no inhibitions anymore and you start blabbing about everything.”

Kara sighs.

“That’s the worst part about all of this,” Kara says. “Everything that I said while under its effects were real feelings that I held at some point, just buried deep in my head. And, I’m sorry. I clearly have a lot of things to work through with you and Reign and everything.”

“Kara, I’m not thrilled with the things you said. Obviously,” Sam says. “Especially what you said about me and Alex.”

“I know, and I hate that I said those things and…”

“But,” Sam says, cutting her off. “I get it. To a certain extent. Reign was a tough time for all of us, to put it mildly. I think we’re all still working through it, even if sometimes we all just want to pretend that everything’s okay.”

“Yeah,” Kara says, nodding. “I sometimes still think about all of that while we’re sparring. It’s weird.”

“I had no idea,” Sam says. “Oh boy.”

Sam sighs and takes a big swig of her beer.

“Okay, how about this,” Sam says. “I know nobody wants to do this, but I think we all need to do this – we need to just start talking about Reign. Whenever we’re sparring, or when I’m out in the field, or just whenever, we need to confront that part of our lives and not just treat it as some scary thing we’re all trying to forget.”

“I think you’re right,” Kara says. “It doesn’t do anybody any good to try and pretend that we’ve all just moved beyond that so quickly.”

“Good,” Sam says. “So, it’s a deal?”

Sam holds her hand out to shake. Kara grins and shakes her hand.

“It’s a deal,” Kara says.

* * *

Days later, Lena walks into the DEO’s medical center, a metal case tucked beneath her arm. Jemma presses herself up to a sitting position on her hospital bed, interested to see what she’s brought her.

“Jemma,” Lena greets. “How are you feeling?”

She shrugs.

“Fine,” she says. “You did a good job saving my arm during the fight. Most of the nerves were salvageable.”

Jemma smiles weakly, but Lena can see the pain behind the expression. She sets the metal case down and sits down on the bed next to Jemma. Gently, she reaches out and brushes an errant strand of hair away from her face.

“Are you okay?” Lena asks.

Jemma exhales audibly.

“I don’t know,” Jemma says. “It just now hit me that I lost my forearm. It’s the left one, at least, so I didn’t lose my dominant hand, but it’s still strange. It’s just gone.”

“I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult this is for you,” Lena says. “But, Fitz and I have been working on something that will make things a little easier.”

Lena grabs the case and slowly opens it, revealing a sleek, futuristic, carbon fiber prosthetic forearm and hand.

“Wow,” Jemma says. “It’s quite something.”

She traces the fingers of her right hand over the prosthetic. The carbon fiber is smooth and cool to the touch, the construction and build quality seemingly flawless.

“We can add the simulation skin, if you like,” Lena says. “But, Fitz though you might like to see the machinery.”

“I think it’s great,” Jemma says. “May I?”

Lena nods.

“It’s ready to go,” Lena says. “Try it on.”

Jemma takes a deep breath and grabs the prosthetic with her right hand. She lifts up what’s left of her left arm – the Daxamite shoulder had cut off everything from above her joint down, leaving just the upper arm attached to the shoulder. The base for the prosthetic has already been installed, so all that remains to be done is simply attaching it.

The prosthetic clicks smoothly into place and Jemma stares at it, fascinated by this piece of technology that is to be her new arm. The weight of the prosthetic feels good, almost perfectly emulating her old forearm.

“Try it out,” Lena says. “It should be fairly seamless.”

Jemma nods and tries moving her fingers, one at a time. To her delight, the prosthetic responds immediately, the fingers flexing, albeit somewhat robotically.

“The movement will get better as you become more comfortable with it,” Lena says.

“Wonderful,” Jemma says.

Jemma balls the prosthetic’s fingers up into a fist, before straightening them all out again. After a few moments of moving her thumb experimentally, she gives Lena a somewhat robotic thumbs-up. Lena laughs.

“See?” Lena says. “Not bad, right?”

“Could be worse,” Jemma says.

“I’m so sorry that you lost your arm,” Lena says. “I hope that this prosthetic serves you well. And, of course, please let me know if you have any problems with it. Or if you just want one in a different color.”

Jemma can’t help but chuckle.

“I’m serious,” Lena says. “I’m here for you.”

“For all my prosthetic needs?” Jemma asks.

“Exactly,” Lena says.

* * *

There’s still plenty of work to be done, even though Jemma saved the city from complete destruction. All the fighting in the streets has resulted in serious damage to several buildings, cars, streets, and more. Civilian injuries have been limited, thankfully, since most stayed relatively safe just by staying inside and avoiding windows. National City needs to rebuild.

Perhaps most important is the issue of the beam of light, shooting out of one of the buildings downtown. The government quickly moves in to acquire the building, and with the help of the DEO and of L-Corp, along with Jemma herself, they begin to study the beam of light as well as prevent ordinary citizens from using it. Jemma and Lena, joined by Fitz, put in countless hours of work trying to understand it and analyze its safety and its stability.

The remnants of the Daxamite army are hunted down and captured, though most of them turn themselves in willingly. Over time, it’s clear that many of the soldiers didn’t care at all for Rhea’s ambitions and were simply following orders. After much debate, the DEO, in partnership with L-Corp, spearheads a rehabilitation program for the soldiers who are willing to integrate into normal life and leave their violent pasts behind. Many of them do so, and the program is labeled a great success.

Lena, in fact, does a significant amount of heavy lifting in the disaster recovery of National City. She donates huge amounts of money to the cause from L-Corp’s considerable assets, and when the board prevents her from giving any more, she digs into her own personal assets to continue the cashflow to the city. Buildings are quickly rebuilt, roads are repaved, and the city heals.

Lena’s name begins to get floated in political circles as her reputation grows stronger and stronger as she gives so much of her time and money to National City. There are rumors that she’s looking to run as anything from mayor of National City to governor of California. She dismisses them all. At the same time, though, she can’t help but be pleased that the citizens of the city finally seem to be truly embracing her. It’s a good feeling.

Daisy and Jemma find themselves simply staying in National City, since they’re both helping with the rebuilding efforts and because Lena has opened up all of her properties to them to use however they please. Even after such a relatively short amount of time, it’s beginning to feel as much like home as SHIELD ever has for them. And, of course, Daisy isn’t complaining about sleeping in a penthouse every night.

Rhea and Mon-El are locked up in the DEO’s new high-security prison, built with the increased government funding they’ve received as thanks for their heroic actions against the Daxamite invasion. Rhea is plotting, of course, but everyone knows she won’t get too far, especially since there are three Kryptonians working in National City – Sam, Kara, and Astra. Mon-El seems resigned to stay in his cell, though he does ask to see Kara every now and again. Vasquez takes great pleasure in refusing his requests, every single time.

And, once recovery efforts slow and the city more or less returns to normal (save for the beam of light shooting up into the sky), Kara and Alex begin planning a huge celebratory party, with everyone invited. And they do mean everybody.

* * *

“How do I look?” Daisy asks.

Jemma looks her up and down. The two of them are getting ready for the party, and, for once, they’re going through their own personal wardrobes in their SHIELD quarters. Daisy has changed into a bright aloha shirt, with enough of the placket unbuttoned to show off a decent amount of skin and the short sleeves rolled up even further to show off her lithe, muscular arms. She’s tucked the shirt into a pair of black skinny jeans with the ankles rolled up.

“You look amazing,” Jemma says. “What about me?”

Jemma twirls about in place, showing off her classic patterned blouse + form-fitting slacks outfit. Her prosthetic, which she’s chosen to keep in its original, carbon fiber form, gleams in the light.

“You always look good, Simmons,” Daisy says. “That’s your real superpower.”

“Charmer,” Jemma says.

They’re interrupted by the sound of knocking on their door. Daisy raises an eyebrow and goes over to open it, to see Fitz waiting on the other side.

“I need opinions,” Fitz says. “Do I look, erm, presentable?”

Fitz is wearing an absolutely presentable casual, beige linen suit, with a simple, patterned polo shirt to complete the ensemble.

“Yeah, dude, you look great,” Daisy says. “I’m sure James will love it.”

“Olsen? But I didn’t say anything…” Fitz begins to say.

“It was heavily implied,” Jemma says. “You look wonderful, Fitz.”

Fitz exhales, seeming to calm down.

“Okay, thanks, you two,” Fitz says. “You guys look good, too. Shall we?”

“Yeah, I’m good to go,” Daisy says. “Is the rest of the squad ready?”

“Yeah, they’re waiting by the beam,” Fitz says.

The three of them make their way over to the science lab, where the beam is still dutifully shooting upwards into the sky. The rest of the team is there, dressed to the nines. Wanda has joined them as well, having become something of an unofficial member of the squad following her assistance in National City.

“You guys ready?” Coulson asks.

 Everyone voices their assent.

“Great,” Coulson says. “Next stop, National City.”

* * *

Lena, being Lena, managed to secure an entire private beach for their party. There are several large canopy tents set up, under which are various food and beverage options, as well as tables and seats. Lena’s had the party catered by one of her favorite restaurants, which also happens to be one of National City’s finest restaurants, and they absolutely don’t cater for anyone other than Lena Luthor. The drinks are, for the Kryptonian’s sake, provided by their favorite alien bar.

It’s getting into the late afternoon when the Agents of SHIELD arrive, and the place is gorgeous. There’s hardly a cloud in the sky, the sun is shining bright, and the waves are lapping up against the white sand. Daisy can hardly imagine anything more perfect.

“Wow,” Coulson says. “Good job befriending the richest person in the city.”

“Not bad, right?” Daisy says.

“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Mack says. “That food is calling out to me.”

“Yeah, I never say no to free food,” Yo-Yo says. “Let’s go.”

The two of them walk over to the food tent, where several other partygoers have already congregated.

“Well, can’t exactly blame them,” Coulson says. “Is everyone going to get food?”

“Nah, we’re going to make the rounds, see how everyone is doing,” Daisy says. “Shall we?”

“We shall,” Jemma says with a smile, and loops her arm around Daisy’s.

* * *

They come upon Lena, first, who actually comes up to greet them as they’re making their way through the party. Lena’s dressed in a stunning, lightweight, dark floral dress that clings wonderfully to her curves.

“I’m so glad you two could make it,” Lena says, before hugging them both tightly. “It wouldn’t have been a real party without you.”

“Oh, yeah, we’re absolutely the life of every party,” Daisy says. “And we’re way cooler than the rest of our team.”

“So much cooler,” Jemma says.

“And so much better dressed,” Lena says.

Daisy can feel Lena’s gaze drop for a moment to her chest, before their eyes meet again.

“So, what do you think?” Lena asks. “Not bad for a little shindig, right?”

“If this is what you consider a ‘little shindig,’ I’m almost scared to see what you’d consider a real party,” Daisy says. “But, seriously, this is amazing. I think we all definitely need a chance to let loose and relax for once.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Jemma says. “This is a beautiful location, too.”

“It really is,” Lena says. “Kara flew me out here once, and we had a picnic on the sand. It was her idea to throw the party here. I just provided the funding.”

“Well, we thank you for your sacrifice,” Daisy says, mock-saluting her.

Lena shoves her playfully.

“I know, always playing sugar mommy to the rest of the group,” Lena says. “Still, I’d rather spend money on my friends rather than just let it sit in a bank or in some stocks somewhere.”

“Or spend it on rebuilding National City,” Jemma says. “That’s certainly helped your image.”

“It has,” Lena says. “It’s nice not being the most hated person in the city anymore. I don’t know what to do with myself, now.”

“Maybe you need to pick up a new hobby,” Daisy says.

“No, Daisy, I’m not going into politics,” Lena says. “I mean, could you even imagine? A business person taking office – that sounds like it would be an unmitigated disaster.”

They all laugh.

“So, have you two made any decisions on my offer?” Lena asks. “Jemma, I’d love for you to be a biological sciences advisor for L-Corp. And, Daisy, I think you’d be wonderful as the new head of security. Or you could join our cybersecurity department, if that strikes your fancy.”

Daisy and Jemma exchange a look.

“I’m sorry, Lena,” Daisy says. “This is a huge decision to make. We still need more time to think it over.”

“I understand perfectly,” Lena says. “Honestly, I’m sorry I even brought it up. I want you guys to enjoy the party without worrying about it.”

“It’s no problem,” Jemma says. “And, Lena, we’ll still visit all the time even if we do stay with SHIELD.”

Jemma reaches out to squeeze Lena’s hand. She smiles back at her.

* * *

Before they see anyone else, though, they happen to bump into Wanda, who looks like she’s been searching for anyone to mingle with.

“Hey, guys,” Wanda says. “Great party, right? The Avengers don’t really do big post-mission parties these days now that Tony Stark has gotten old and grumpy.”

They all laugh.

“Man, I can’t believe how many great stories you have about all of the Avengers,” Daisy says. “That base of yours must be a madhouse.”

“Oh, it is,” Wanda says. “It’s too much testosterone, honestly. That’s why I like your team so much.”

“Oh, absolutely,” Daisy says. “We have a much healthier male-to-female ratio.”

Wanda laughs.

“You know, the Avengers’ ratio would be better if you joined,” Wanda says. “Think about it. We could really use someone like you.”

Daisy rubs the back of her neck.

“I don’t know,” Daisy says. “The Avengers seem a little too public-facing for my tastes.”

“We’re both real work-in-the-shadows types,” Jemma says.

“Well, I don’t want to pressure you,” Wanda says. “Just think about it. It could be fun.”

* * *

Daisy and Jemma run into Alex and Sam next, who are hanging out by the bar.

“Hey, lovebirds,” Daisy greets. “Anything good to drink here?”

“Everything is good here,” Sam says. “I’d suggest the Kryptonian wine, but I think it would melt your insides.”

“Yeah, I’d rather leave my insides nice and un-melted,” Daisy says. “How’re you guys enjoying the party?”

Alex exhales and looks around the beach, her hands shoved in the pockets of her jumpsuit.

“Lena has way too much money,” Alex says.

“You say that every time she throws a party,” Sam says.

“It never stops being true,” Alex says. “I shouldn’t be complaining, though, since she bought me a whole case of my favorite whiskey so that I would be ‘enticed to stay.’ Her words, not mine.”

They all laugh.

“That Lena is a real charmer,” Jemma says. “She isn’t trying to get you to join L-Corp, is she?”

“Not yet,” Alex says. “Though, I have to say, as much as I love the DEO, I’m sure she pays way better than they do.”

“And I already work for L-Corp,” Sam says, shrugging. “Though I’m thinking of quitting, which will break her heart.”

“That’s right,” Alex says, resting her hand atop Sam’s. “Blackbird here is ready to be a full-time superhero.”

“That’s great!” Daisy says. “You were a menace against the Daxamites. I’m really glad I’ve never had to fight you.”

Sam grins at her.

“Likewise,” Sam says. “I don’t want you rearranging my molecules.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Daisy says. “I only do that to people who really deserve it.”

* * *

“Wait, you’re an assassin?” Daisy asks.

Sara waves the suggestion off with her hands.

“No, no, definitely not,” Sara says. “I used to be an assassin. Now, I’m the captain of a time-traveling ship.”

“Oh, sure,” Jemma says.

“Yeah, that’s normal,” Daisy says. “Have you been to any cool, uh, times?”

“So many,” Sara says. “So many cool times. I made out with the Queen of France. Like, one of the old ones.”

Daisy and Jemma exchange a glance.

“I mean, she wasn’t old, at the time,” Sara says. “She was a historical Queen of France. Like, one from many centuries ago.”

Daisy’s face lights up.

“That gives a whole new meaning to –”

“Please don’t,” Jemma interjects.

“A whole new meaning to ‘French kiss,’” Daisy says. “Am I right?”

Daisy holds her hand up for a high-five. Jemma and Sara both absolutely do not react to her.

“Anyway, I have to go,” Daisy says. “It’s been nice talking to you, Lance.”

Daisy actually does walk off, leaving Jemma to say a hasty goodbye to Sara and rush after her.

* * *

“Hey, Barry,” Daisy waves. “Fastest man alive. How’s it going?”

“Hey, guys,” Barry greets. “Oh, and I want you guys to meet my wife – Iris. Iris, these are two of the Agents of SHIELD, Daisy and Jemma.”

Iris, who’s dressed in a gorgeous floral sundress, smiles brightly at them.

“Hi!” Iris greets. “I’ve heard so much about you two from Barry. It’s great to finally meet you.”

She shakes both of their hands. Daisy gives her a quick once-over, before turning to Barry and clapping him on the shoulder. He winces, just slightly.

“Damn, Barry,” Daisy says. “I’m kind of surprised, honestly.”

Iris laughs as Barry looks absolutely scandalized.

“Surprised?” Barry asks. “Is it really that surprising that I’m married?”

“Well, you did show up to the fight in a bright red suit,” Daisy says. “And, you told the Daxamites that they couldn’t ‘play with guns’ anymore.”

Jemma sighs, but can’t quite avoid being amused by Daisy’s antics.

“Hey, I thought that was pretty good,” Barry says. “I did take all of their guns and I was going for a casual, understated bit of banter. I think it worked pretty well.”

“Barry, honey, it’s okay,” Iris says, patting his arm. “We all know you can’t trash-talk. It’s kind of endearing, honestly.”

Barry just deflates further.

“Fine, whatever,” Barry says. “Daisy, I’ll admit you do have a cooler suit than I do, though. I’m trying to convince Cisco to build me a new one.”

Daisy laughs.

“She got hers from Lena,” Jemma says. “You might want to ask her if she accepts commissions.”

“What do you guys think of Lena?” Iris asks, her voice dropping in volume a few notches. “Kara really likes her, but I find she’s a little tough to get a read on.”

“Oh, we both love her,” Jemma says. “But, I imagine we’re privy to a side of her that not many others are.”

“Yeah, true,” Daisy says. “Plus, she lets us stay in one of her penthouses, which is nice.”

Jemma rolls her eyes.

“Daisy, c’mon,” she says.

“Hey, I used to live in a van,” Daisy says. “A van, Jemma. Did you guys know I used to live in a van?”

“That sounds like a story,” Iris says.

“It is,” Daisy says. “It all started when I decided that I wanted to take down the corrupt systems of the world…”

* * *

Jemma excuses herself to go to the bathroom, leaving Daisy by herself out on the beach. She takes a sip of her cocktail and stares out at the sparkling waves, enjoying a bit of a break from socializing. After a few moments, though, she hears the crunch of sand, and turns to see Kara walking over to her. Kara is dressed in a beautiful, floral romper that shows off her muscular arms and legs. Daisy grins at her.

“Hey there, Supergirl,” Daisy says. “Are you enjoying the party?”

“Oh, definitely,” Kara says. “I’ve had a couple of shots of some kind of alien liquor with Sam, and Lena made sure that there are plenty of potstickers here.”

Daisy chuckles softly.

“Lena is always looking out for you,” Daisy says. “Have you talked to her yet?”

“About my apparently very obvious feelings for her?” Kara asks. “No, not yet.”

“You need to get on that,” Daisy says. “No time like the present. Especially if the present involves a beautiful party on the beach where everyone is dressed up all nice.”

“I guess you have a point,” Kara says. “And hey, have you talked to Jemma yet?”

“I mean, no,” Daisy says, running her hand through her hair. “But, I mean, we’ve been sleeping in the same bed in Lena’s penthouse for, like, weeks now. That has to mean something. Right?”

Kara laughs.

“Just tell her, Daisy,” Kara says. “Do you really think that Jemma is going to turn you down, of all people?”

“I don’t know!” Daisy says. “Honestly, I don’t have the best track record when it comes to relationships. I don’t want to screw this one up before it even starts.”

Daisy stares out at the waves, rolling up endlessly onto the shore. Kara sees the expression on her face and moves in closer to her, putting her arm around her shoulders.

“I get it,” Kara says. “I haven’t exactly had a great time with relationships, either. But, I think the only way you could screw this one up is if you don’t ever say anything about how you feel.”

“Yeah, I know you’re right,” Daisy says. “Okay, look, how about this. Before the end of the party, you talk to Lena and I’ll talk to Jemma. Deal?”

Kara laughs.

“It’s a deal, Daisy,” Kara says. “Knowing me, though, I’ll put it off to the very end.”

“Yeah, I hear you,” Daisy says.

* * *

“Pretty good group of friends you found here.”

Daisy looks up to see Coulson approaching the table she’s sitting at. She smiles at him and pushes out a chair for him to sit down. Jemma has gone off to grab some food, and Daisy sees her chatting with Sam and Lena, two plates of food balanced in her hands.

“Yeah, not bad, right?” Daisy says. “Definitely not what I expected when we were transported to a whole new universe.”

“We missed you back home,” Coulson says. “You couldn’t imagine how Fitz reacted when he found out Jemma disappeared on him again. And you, too, of course.”

Daisy laughs.

“Yeah, poor guy,” Daisy says. “Always getting his best friend ripped away from him. Honestly, as selfish as it may be, I’m glad that Jemma was transported with me. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her.”

“I understand,” Coulson says. “You two have always been close. I guess it makes sense you’re flung to a whole new universe together, too.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Daisy says. “Still, it’s good to be back with the team.”

“Ah, yes, with the magical beams that connect us,” Coulson says with a grin. “Pretty amazing, that. Leave it to Jemma to find a way to connect two universes together.”

“Who else, right?” Daisy says fondly.

Daisy glances over at Jemma again, who’s laughing from something Lena has just said.

“So, I hear that Ms. Luthor has offered you guys jobs at her company,” Coulson says. “What are your thoughts on that?”

As much as Daisy loves Coulson, she does feel more than a little uncomfortable discussing this with him. Accepting those jobs means no longer working full-time for SHIELD, which would be a huge blow to the team. And, beyond that, Coulson is like a father to her, and they’ve been through everything the universe has thrown at them. Working for L-Corp almost feels like a betrayal, even with as much as she loves Lena.

“I don’t know,” Daisy says, rubbing the back of her neck. “It’s a big decision.”

“It is,” Coulson says. “I trust you’ll make the decision that’s best for you. And, I just want to let you know that I completely understand if you decide to leave SHIELD, if that’s what you want.”

Daisy is taken aback.

“Really?” Daisy asks. “I mean, it’s your team. It feels weird to leave.”

Definitely an understatement.

“That’s why it might be time for a change,” Coulson says. “Daisy, you’ve given more to SHIELD than anyone could ever ask for. You’ve sacrificed so much. It might be good for you to accept a position that won’t you force you to put your life on the line so often.”

“Coulson, I…” Daisy begins to say.

“Now, I don’t want you to leave. Nobody does,” Coulson says. “But, more than that, I want what’s best for you. Not what’s best for me, or what’s best for the team, but for you.”

“Yeah,” Daisy says. “I understand.”

“And, besides, you can always visit us,” Coulson says. “You and Jemma would always just be a universe away. Besides, now that the Avengers know we exists, we’ll have a lot more help on our bigger missions.”

Daisy chuckles.

“Not only that, but you can always call on one of the Kryptonians to help you out,” Daisy says. “Or all three of them, if you really want to terrify your enemies.”

Coulson grins back at her.

“That we can,” Coulson says. “Again, good job on making friends with the invincible aliens. Smart move.”

“So smart,” Daisy says. “Alright, Coulson, you’ve given me a lot to think about. I’ll let you know soon what me and Jemma decide. I’m sure that you want to know, and I know that Lena is dying to get an answer from us.”

“I know you’ll make the right decision, Daisy,” Coulson says. “You always do.”

* * *

“So, what do you think, Fitz?” Jemma asks.

Fitz sighs and shrugs, still chewing his mouthful of fancy hors d’oeuvres.

“You know I don’t want you to go, Jemma,” Fitz says. “But, this seems like a really good opportunity. You don’t exactly get to work within, y’know, Biology that much in SHIELD besides patching people up and occasionally deciphering alien anatomy.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” Jemma says. “I’ve just been with SHIELD for so long. I went to SHIELD academy, for goodness’s sake.”

Fitz chuckles.

“You know, most people work at least a few different jobs in their life,” Fitz says. “Besides, you can always work for L-Corp and come back to SHIELD later on. It’s pretty clear Lena likes you enough to let you do that.”

“You’re probably right,” Jemma says. “I don’t know. I’ve never had to think about this before. I always assumed that I’d be working with SHIELD for the rest of my life.”

Fitz laughs.

“Yeah, they do really drill that into your head at the Academy,” Fitz says. “Honestly, Jemma, you should do what you want. As long as you visit.”

Jemma nods, deep in thought.

* * *

The party is still going strong as the sun begins to set, lighting up the sky in a brilliant array of reds and oranges and pinks. The strung-up lanterns come on, casting the party in a brilliant, almost magical glow. Daisy smiles – all around her, friends old and new, talk and laugh and bond. It’s a wonderful feeling, and one that is almost completely foreign to her.

She sees Jemma standing by herself and starts making her way over to her. Her heart pounds in her chest – this seems as good a time as any to finally confess her feelings, as terrifying as that sounds. Jemma smiles at her as she approaches, which lifts her spirits somewhat.

“Hey,” Daisy says, trying to calm down the restless beating of her heart.

“Hey, you,” Jemma greets.

“Can we talk?” they both say, nearly at the same time.

They both stare at one another for a moment before they both start laughing, the tension between them dissipating.

“Sorry, sorry,” Daisy says. “You go first.”

“Sure,” Jemma says. “So, I wanted to talk.”

That sentence alone is enough to get Daisy’s heartrate to spike once again.

“I wanted to talk about Lena’s offer,” Jemma says.

“Oh, right,” Daisy says. “Her offer. That’s definitely what I wanted to talk to you about.”

Daisy rubs the back of her neck, feeling awkward. Jemma looks at her strangely for a moment, but otherwise moves past it.

“Right, the offer,” Jemma says. “Call me crazy, but I think that we should take it. Is that crazy? It’s kind of crazy, right?”

Daisy smiles, glad that Jemma is worrying about this decision as much as she is.

“It’s a little crazy, but I think I agree,” Daisy says. “I was talking to Coulson about it, and he told me to do whatever I felt was right. And right now, after everything we’ve been through with Lena and everyone else in this universe, I think we should stay.”

“That’s exactly how I feel,” Jemma says. “And, honestly, have you seen L-Corp’s science facilities? I want to work in a proper lab again.”

Daisy laughs.

“Nerd,” she says fondly. “But, I agree. It’s been too long since I’ve really gotten to flex my coding muscles. And, if I ever want to knock some heads in, I could always run some missions with the DEO.”

“Well put,” Jemma says, grinning. “So, is this actually happening? Should we tell Lena the good news?”

Daisy can’t help but smile.

“Yeah, I think so,” Daisy says.

As excited as she is about this, though, she didn’t exactly get to go through with her plan of confessing her feelings to Jemma. Her smile falters somewhat, which Jemma picks up on.

“Is this everything you wanted to talk about?” Jemma asks.

“What?” Daisy asks. “Oh, yeah, definitely. Let’s go find Lena.”

Jemma looks at her, a tad concerned, but says nothing more.

* * *

They eventually find Lena at the bar, chatting with Sam over some cocktails. Sam, perhaps seeing the excited expressions on their faces, quickly excuses herself. She winks at the two of them before she departs, leaving Lena alone at the bar.

“Hey, Lena,” Daisy greets.

“Do you have a second?” Jemma asks.

Lena’s smile is full and enthusiastic as she turns to greet them, and it’s pretty clear that she already knows what they want to discuss.

“I always have time for you two,” Lena says. “I sense that you’re about to give me some good news.”

Daisy smiles and shares a glance with Jemma. Her heart is pounding in her chest yet again – they’re about to leap into something exciting and new and just a little bit scary.

“We are,” Daisy says.

“We want to join L-Corp,” Jemma says. “We talked it over with our team, and we think it’s for the best.”

“That’s fantastic!” Lena says, her smile growing even wider.

Lena seems to be holding back her excitement, until she just shakes her head and hugs them both. They return the gesture with enthusiasm.

“Oh, you can’t imagine how happy I am,” Lena says. “I’ve gotten so used to having you around at L-Corp. And now I’ll be able to pay you properly!”

“Sugar momma,” Daisy says, a playful grin on her face.

Lena shoves her, grinning right back.

“Yeah, yeah,” Lena says. “You’ll at least be working for your paycheck.”

“We’ll work like crazy for you, Lena, we promise,” Jemma says. “This is such an incredible opportunity you’re giving the both of us.”

“You two have certainly earned it,” Lena says. “Oh, and I have one more surprise for you.”

“I don’t know if I can handle much more excitement tonight,” Daisy says, running a hand through her hair.

“You’ll like this, I promise,” Lena says. “You know the penthouse you’ve been staying in? The one with the pool?”

“Of course,” Daisy says.

“What’s this about?” Jemma asks.

“Well,” Lena says. “I’ve put you both down as official occupants. Now, technically, L-Corp still owns the penthouse, but…”

“Lena,” Daisy interrupts. “You know this is crazy, right? I can’t even imagine how much that penthouse is worth.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Lena says, dismissing her concerns with a wave of her hand. “You two will need a place to stay in National City, and you’re practically live there already. Besides, the only other time it gets used is to house foreign investors and business partners for big meetings. I’d rather have it go to you two.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Jemma says.

“You don’t have to stay there, if you really don’t want to,” Lena says. “But, I’m officially offering it to you as a perk of your new positions. I’m very serious about you two working for me – you’re both more talented than anyone I could ever hope to find otherwise.”

“Oh man,” Daisy says, turning to Jemma. “What do you think?”

“I don’t know,” Jemma says. “You’re the one who loves that penthouse.”

Lena can’t help but laugh at Daisy’s scandalized expression.

“Hey, how dare you turn this back to me,” Daisy says. “Look, Lena, we’re going to have to think this one over, too. But, we’ll definitely work for L-Corp.”

“Fantastic,” Lena says. “We’ll iron out the details after the party, but for now, I just want to say how happy I am that we’ll all be working together.”

“Yeah, this is crazy,” Daisy says. “To think that this would be the outcome to being sent to a different universe.”

“This is probably the happiest ending we’ve ever gotten,” Jemma says.

“Ain’t that the truth,” Daisy says.

Sam chooses that moment to return from wherever she wandered off to.

“So, I’m judging by the smiles on everyone’s faces that you accepted the positions?” Sam asks.

They all nod enthusiastically, which makes Sam chuckle.

“Good luck, you guys,” Sam says. “Make sure Lena eats lunch and goes home at a reasonable time. She really needs to be babied.”

Lena frowns and smacks Sam on the arm, who just laughs it off.

“Jerk,” Lena says. “You can’t make fun of me after you tell me that you’re leaving.”

“You told her?” Daisy asks.

Sam nods.

“That I did,” she says. “I’m really glad that you two accepted the job offer, or she’d really have it in for me.”

“No, it’s fine, Sam,” Lena says. “It’ll be really easy to replace the CFO position.”

“I don’t know if I like you being sarcastic,” Sam says. “But, to be serious, you shouldn’t worry about replacing me. I already sent you a list of candidates, and with L-Corp’s rehabilitated reputation, you’ll have people begging you for the job.”

“I don’t know if I can deal with any begging,” Lena says. “But, thanks, Sam. I hope you enjoy working for the DEO.”

“I think I will,” Sam says. “I’ll be on-call basically 24/7, which might get annoying, but it’ll at least give me more time with my daughter. And, I think I’m ready to really flex my superpowers now.”

“You absolutely are,” Daisy says. “You’re a terror on the battlefield. I mean that in the best way possible.”

Sam grins at her.

“You too, Quake,” Sam says. “I’m glad you’re sticking around. You too, Jemma.”

“Likewise,” Jemma says. “Plus, with all of us around we can still have our girls’ nights at Lena’s.”

* * *

“I meant to ask, how’s the prosthetic arm?” Coulson asks. “Also, have you tried these cheese hors d’oeuvres? They’re good.”

Jemma laughs and picks one of them off his plate and pops it into his mouth.

“Oh, so good,” Jemma says. “To both the appetizer and the arm.”

Coulson chuckles.

“I’m happy to hear that,” Coulson says. “It’s a weird transition at first, having a piece of robotics act as your new limb. Takes a bit of getting used to.”

“Yeah, you can say that again,” Jemma says. “I’m still not used to it, honestly. Sometimes I’ll look down and I’m surprised to see what’s attached to me.”

Coulson reaches out and squeezes Jemma’s shoulder.

“It’ll get better, I promise,” Coulson says. “And, you can always talk to me about it.”

“Thanks, Coulson,” Jemma says.

* * *

“A penny for your thoughts?”

Kara turns to see Lena walking up to her on the darkened beach. The party is still raging on behind them, the lights in the tents cutting through the dark of the night. A cool, salty, ocean breeze is rolling in atop the crests of the waves, a nice contrast to the otherwise warm weather. Kara shoves her hands in her pockets.

“Hey, Lena,” Kara says. “Just the person I wanted to talk to, actually.”

“Is that so?” Lena asks. “What about?”

“Well, it’s – it’s difficult, for me to talk about,” Kara says. “I used to think I was so good about discussing my feelings, but…”

Kara sighs. Lena moves a little closer to her and grabs her hand, squeezing it in a comforting gesture. Kara smiles fondly at her.

“Lena, we’ve been through a lot,” Kara says. “We’ve saved one another’s lives more times than I can count, we’ve spent late nights eating potstickers and salads, we managed to work through your realization that I’m Supergirl – and we’ve stuck together, through thick and thin.”

Kara stares down at the sand, finding it too difficult to meet Lena’s gaze right now.

“You’ve quickly become the best friend that I’ve ever had,” Kara says, swallowing hard.

“Oh, Kara,” Lena says, her voice soft.

“I really cherish our friendship. It’s the most important thing in the world to me,” Kara says. “But, lately, I’ve been thinking about our relationship, and how I want it to – to change.”

“Change?” Lena echoes.

Kara finally forces herself to look into Lena’s eyes, which seem more beautiful ever, sparkling and reflecting the lights from the party. It’s like looking into the sun.

“Change,” Kara affirms. “Lena, I don’t want you to be my friend. I want you to be my girlfriend. And if admitting this screws up our friendship, then I’ll just have to deal with that, but…”

Before Kara can finish her sentence, Lena cradles her face in her hands and leans forward to kiss her softly on the lips. Kara’s eyes widen and her whole body stiffens up, before she begins to melt into the kiss. She wraps her arms around Lena’s waist, pulling her in close. Lena deepens the kiss, and Kara can feel the entire rest of the world falling away – right now, it’s just her and Lena. Nothing else matters.

* * *

Though Daisy is presented with opportunity after opportunity to confess her feelings to Jemma, she seizes none of them, and before long people start to trickle out of the party, leaving the tents emptier and emptier. Soon, the crowd has been whittled down to what Daisy has more and more considered the core group – her, Jemma, Lena, and Kara. They all stand on the grass just outside of the tent, the glow from the lanterns and the faint light of the moon all that illuminates them. Daisy feels strange and faraway, the combined effects of the alcohol and her tiredness hitting her all at once.

“Hey, great party, Lena,” Daisy says. “It was really great seeing everyone like this.”

“I know,” Lena says. “We should try and get together more often, preferably when the fate of National City isn’t at stake.”

“But isn’t that more exciting?” Jemma asks.

Lena laughs.

“I think I’ve had plenty of excitement these last few months,” Lena says. “I’m ready to return to the normal stress levels of running a huge, multinational company.”

“Yeah, no big deal,” Daisy says.

“I suppose we’ll be taking on the stress of working at a huge, multinational company,” Jemma says. “Soon enough.”

Kara gasps, and looks from Daisy to Jemma, and back again. A characteristically huge, bright smile grows on her face.

“You guys said yes!” Kara says. “You’re going to be living here! And we can hang out all the time!”

“Kara, they’re going to be working, too,” Lena says, placing her hand on Kara’s forearm.

“Yeah, but c’mon, they’re smart,” Kara says. “That won’t be anything to them. You guys are going to be in National City!”

For whatever reason, it’s Kara’s excitement that really nails down the reality that they’re going to be living and working, like normal, responsible adults, in National City. It’s enough to make Daisy’s head spin.

“Yeah, we are,” Daisy says. “We’re going to be living in your city, Supergirl.”

“Yes!” Kara says.

Without warning, Kara puts her arms around both Daisy and Jemma and squeezes them tightly.

“Group hug!” Kara says. “Lena, you have to join in!”

“Oh, I have to, do I?” Lena asks.

“Obviously!” Kara says.

A grin tugs at the corner of Lena’s lips, and she too joins in on the action. Daisy can feel her arm sliding around her lower back. Though it’s silly, and maybe just a bit childish, Daisy feels wonderfully content and safe to be wrapped up in her friends’ arms like this.

* * *

Though they insist that they can just take a taxi, Lena ends up calling upon one of her many personal drivers to take Daisy and Jemma back to the beachfront penthouse they’ve been staying at. They’ve both realized long ago, though, that they’re never, ever going to get used to Lena’s generosity.

It’s late by the time they finally get back to the penthouse, and Daisy can feel her eyelids beginning to droop. Still, though, she’s finally come up with a perfect way to confess her feelings to Jemma, and she’s certainly not going to let a little sleep deprivation get in her way.

“Hey, do you want to hop in the hot tub with me?” Daisy asks. “I feel the need to detox a little after drinking so much.”

Jemma eyes the bedroom for a moment, no doubt tempted by the prospect of just passing out. Her eyes meet Daisy’s, though, and she perhaps sees in them the desire and the longing that Daisy feels.

“Sure thing,” Jemma says. “Sounds like the perfect ending to the night.”

They both quickly get changed, and Daisy doesn’t think she’ll ever get over the sight of Jemma, wearing a slinky, black one-piece suit. Jemma certainly notices Daisy’s eyes roaming over her figure, and her cheeks turn a distinct shade of pink.

“You’re staring,” Jemma says.

“You look great,” Daisy says.

Jemma, perhaps not expected Daisy’s directness, just smiles back at her.

The two of them step outside onto the deck, letting the pleasant coolness of the night hit them. They make their way over to the hot tub and fire up the jets, watching the surface of the water become disturbed by turbulence and bubbles. Daisy slips into the water first, letting out a sigh of contentedness as the heat envelops her. Jemma steps in next, sitting so close to Daisy that their shoulders brush together.

“Do you remember the last time we used this thing?” Daisy asks. “Back when I was getting frustrated over training my powers?”

“I do,” Jemma says. “You made me a cocktail, and we sat in here, beneath the stars, and talked. It was lovely.”

Daisy smiles at her.

“Yeah, it was nice,” she says. “My memory of that night, when you told me to never doubt who I am, is what gave me the strength to try and save the city.”

“You’ve never told me this before,” Jemma says.

“I guess I never found the right time,” Daisy says. “Jemma, you’ve always been such a source of strength and inspiration for me. I don’t know what I’d do if…”

Daisy’s sentence is cut off by Jemma leaning forward and capturing her lips in her own. Daisy’s eyes fly wide open and she makes an unfortunate, strangled noise, which makes Jemma jump back, the water of the hot tub sloshing around her.

“Sorry, was I misreading the mood?” Jemma asks. “You just look so beautiful, and what you were saying…”

This time, Daisy interrupts Jemma by cupping her cheeks in her hands and kissing her gently, softly, beneath the stars. Jemma threads her fingers through Daisy’s short hair as she deepens the kiss. Daisy wants to stay in this moment forever, to feel these feelings forever, but eventually they both reluctantly break the kiss. They stare at one another for a moment as if with new eyes.

Daisy starts laughing suddenly, though, and Jemma finds that she can’t help but join in. Their laughter, a joyful, ebullient sound, floats out into the pleasant National City night.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m laughing,” Daisy says. “I think I’m laughing at myself, mostly. I’ve wanted to do that for so long.”

“Me too,” Jemma says, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. “I think I wanted to do that since you showed up in my room with flowers, after I had been rescued from that awful alien planet.”

“Can I confess something?” Daisy asks, to which Jemma nods. “I’ve been wanting to do that since I first laid eyes upon you.”

“Oh, you terrible romantic,” Jemma says. “Kiss me again and prove it.”

Daisy does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so ends the Daxamites arc!
> 
> There are more chapters coming, don't worry!

**Author's Note:**

> Also! Please visit my tumblr! I'm "movepastthefeeling" on tumblr!


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